LIGHTER MARIJUANA PUNISHMENTS SOUGHT

Group Asks Students to Vote to Lessen Action Against Possessors

Today is the last day for students to show support for a referendum
calling for UT to reduce penalties for the use and possession of marijuana.

A local branch of the public education group Safer Alternative for
Enjoyable Recreation has been collecting signatures since mid-January
to place the referendum on the upcoming student election ballot.

The referendum asks that the University's punishment for the use and
possession of marijuana be no more severe than the punishment for
illegal drinking, because the effects of alcohol are more dangerous
than the effects of marijuana, said Ann Del Llano, SAFER Austin coordinator.

The University drug policy states that UT will impose a minimum
disciplinary penalty of suspension for a specified period of time or
suspension of rights, privileges or both for the use, possession or
distribution of drugs prohibited by state, federal or local law,
according to the UT Web site. Punishment for alcohol-related
incidents will be imposed for "conduct related to the unlawful use"
of alcohol, according to the Web site.

Juan Gonzales, UT vice president for student affairs, declined to
comment Monday.

The referendum that SAFER is advocating would end the differences in
severity of punishment.

"We really feel the need to stress the harmful effects of alcohol.
When people are dying, the University needs to take it seriously,"
Del Llano said, referring to the December death of Phanta "Jack" Phoummarath.

Phoummarath, a UT freshman, was found dead from alcohol poisoning at
the Lambda Phi Epsilon fraternity house the day after a party at the
house. The fraternity was suspended as a registered student
organization for six years. Phoummarath's family has filed a wrongful
death lawsuit against the fraternity.

SAFER has to collect 861 valid student signatures by 4 p.m. today, or
the referendum will not be added to the ballot.

SAFER originated on the campuses of University of Colorado at Boulder
and Colorado State University after two Colorado students died from
alcohol poisoning in January 2005. UT students took interest at the
Drug Policy Conference in Long Beach, Fla., in November, Del Llano said.