FOLLOW THE DOCTOR'S ORDERS

GW Needs To Revisit The Medical Marijuana Ban

With the passing of Initiative 59 this spring, medical marijuana
became legal in the District. Finally, the D.C. Council realized the
lunacy of keeping the substance illegal for medical purposes. But GW
administrators clearly still fear the reefer, because they have banned
the use or possession of medical marijuana on campus.

While I can sympathize with the University in its mission to keep
illicit substances off campus, I can't agree with denying a student
with a valid prescription the right to do something that would be
perfectly legal anywhere else in the city.

Taking this action is simply vilifying marijuana. If a student has a
condition marijuana has been proven to treat, and therefore obtains a
prescription, what makes marijuana any different from Adderall or
Xanax? Both of these substances are prescription medications that are
ubiquitous on college campuses. Yes, they too can be thought of as
"illegal substances" in the eyes of Student Judicial Services and the
University when found in the hands of those who don't have a
legitimate prescription. But why is it any different when it comes to
marijuana? If a student has a prescription for it and therefore keeps
it in his or her dorm room for personal use, it is their medication
and the University has no business to hinder that. Now if that
marijuana finds its way to the room of a student without a
prescription - then that student should be punished by SJS just as he
or she would before D.C. legalized medical marijuana. If the student
was caught using or possessin! g Adderall or Xanax without a
prescription, he or she would face the same repercussions.

In addition to the hypocrisy of the campus-wide ban on medical
marijuana, GW's policy sends out the wrong message to the physicians
who support the use of medical marijuana and the users who swear by
the drug's effectiveness. Essentially by not letting the law take its
course, GW says that it does not trust the system to ensure that only
students who sincerely need medical marijuana receive it for just
medical purposes.

But who is it that the University does not trust? Is the
administration afraid the medical marijuana laws are not stringent
enough to prevent students with "fake" illnesses from getting cards?
Or perhaps GW does not trust the doctors writing the prescriptions?
Either way, we need to accept that trained medical professionals know
better than to write prescriptions to 20-year-olds without first
ensuring it is absolutely necessary. The fact of that matter is that
it is not easy to obtain this prescription. Only those suffering from
serious illnesses such as cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS or other chronic
conditions are eligible for a prescription.

GW has simply taken the easiest and most restrictive approach when
dealing with the legalization of medical marijuana in D.C. with the
campus-wide ban. Instead of coming up with a feasible solution that
takes into account the reservations surrounding marijuana usage and
the fact that it is considered to be a medication, the administration
has taken a step that prevents some students from getting the
medication they need. Other universities, such as the University of
Southern California, treat marijuana usage like cigarette usage. This
policy allows students to posses medical marijuana and use it, just
not inside smoke-free buildings.

I urge the University to revisit this policy and cast away
preconceived notions surrounding medical marijuana. While I understand
that the notion of marijuana being allowed on a college campus may
unnerve University officials, ultimately the University has no right
to deny ill students a substance that has the potential to help them
be healthier and more successful for the rest of their years at GW.

The writer, a sophomore majoring in international affairs, is a
Hatchet columnist.