LEGALIZING MARIJUANA COULD PUT UNIVERSITY FUNDING AT RISK, SOME SAY

The April 11 revision of the medical marijuana bill, which extended
some provisions and detracted others, paired the strong potential for
an initiative for the November 2011 ballot that would legalize pot.

According to Sensible Washington, a grassroots organization that
promotes legalization, 52 percent of the state's population is in
favor of legalizing marijuana. Washington would be one of the first
states to decriminalize marijuana.

If the drug becomes legal, some wonder if Washington will risk losing
much needed federal funding, as the drug will remain illegal under
federal law. On April 15, Gov. Chris Gregoire announced she wouldn't
sign any legislation allowing the operation of licensed medical
marijuana dispensaries. She made the announcement after receiving
notice from the Department of Justice that doing so would result in
the federal government seeking out expansive legal action on
marijuana operations in Washington.

Some universities in the 15 states that have also legalized licensed
medical use of the drug (with permission from a physician) have
released statements making it clear the substance is still prohibited
on campuses.

Steve Hager, editor of High Times Magazines, recently joined retired
Drug Enforcement Administration agent and activist Bob Stutman on
Western's campus for the "Heads vs. Feds" debate over whether
marijuana should be legalized.

If schools allowed marijuana on their campuses, Hager said they would
lose federal funding in a heartbeat. Byron Starkey, vice president
for Governmental Affairs, said only Washington state would be able to
make the decision to restrict funding to the university. The federal
government would have to limit funds to the state in other ways, he said.

"I would be shocked if the federal government restricted funds from
Western," Starkey said. "Other areas in the federal budget would have
more impact on the state."

In 1984, the passing of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act made 21
the legal drinking age in the United States. The Federal Aid Highway
Act was also created restricting a percentage of annual federal funds
for states' highway repair to states such as Idaho, who refused to
raise their drinking age from 18-years-old. Starkey said this
historical instance is an example of how the federal prohibition of
marijuana could still be upheld in the state.

Even if marijuana were to be legalized in Washington, students in
possession of the substance would still risk federal prosecution
because federal law always trumps state law.