INCREASED SANCTIONS FOR MARIJUANA USAGE

Georgia College students might think twice now before they puff, puff
and pass. The student body received an email on Sept. 6 from
university officials notifying it of new measures in place for
dealing with marijuana on campus due to the increased number of
violations. Scott Beckner, police chief of Public Safety, says that
the officers of Public Safety have responded to the increase in
marijuana usage with a "proactive police response."

We are gathering better information from sources around campus, which
allows our officers to intercept and confront marijuana violators on
a more regular basis, thus creating more marijuana charges this year
than in the past," Beckner said.

The consequences of drug use on campus have increased for the safety
and future of students.

I think decisions that you make while you are in college can
definitely affect your future and I think that is something people
need to recognize when they are caught in a moment and having fun,
whether it is alcohol or drug use," said Mary Roberts, director of
the Career Center. "It's also hard to predict which employers require
what, whether it's just a good GPA or a background check that
includes the employer going way into your past and asking questions
about your behavior."

Student Government Association Attorney General Andrew Whittaker
administers the Student Judicial Board, and has seen the standard
sanctions increase.

It started with the Interim President Stas Preczewski who gave his
feelings about the issue to Bruce Harshbarger, who is in charge of
the Student Judicial Board, and then it went to Public Safety and
then me so that we may have judicial interaction," Whittaker said.

The changes include increased fines and community service, letters
sent home to parents and even judicial suspension in some
instances."It is a case by case basis but it is a set standard to
what is an acceptable range of sanction," Whittaker said. "It depends
on how much marijuana they have, how many people are involved and how
many cases they've been involved in before."

According to the results from the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use
and Health, marijuana was the most commonly used illicit drug. In
2010, there were 17.4 million who admitted to its use within the
previous month, and between 2007 and 2010 the rate of use increased
from 5.8 to 6.9 percent.

For full-time college students ages 18 to 22, the survey reported
that the rate of current use of illicit drugs was 22 percent.

People who possess and consume marijuana are only going to hang out
with people who are non-hostile to marijuana use," Whittaker said.
There is no more negative social stigma towards it in certain social
circles and it is becoming more acceptable."

Although there are several other reasons that Public Safety and the
Student Judicial Board are cracking down, Beckner puts it simply by
explaining that it is their job "to uphold the laws of the state of
Georgia, and if someone is caught, we have to take the appropriate action."