Starting Thursday, most of the state’s residents age 21 and older can legally possess up to three ounces of marijuana, but that won’t be the case on University of Missouri System campuses.
When an update to Missouri’s state constitution that legalizes recreational marijuana use takes effect on Thursday, possession, consumption and distribution of the drug — even with a medical card — will still be prohibited by MU.
Bill Stackman, MU’s vice chancellor for student affairs, wrote in an email to students and employees that the university’s compliance with two federal laws requires the prohibition on its property and at its events.
The federal Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act and the federal Drug Free Workplace Act still impact the university because it receives funding from the U.S. government — which still classifies marijuana as a controlled substance — according to MU policy.
The UM system includes not only MU but also the University of Missouri-St. Louis, the University of Missouri-Kansas City and the Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla.
Proponents of November’s legalization-focused ballot initiative suggest the ban on medical marijuana on Missouri college campuses may eventually change.
That MU students authorized to use medical marijuana still can’t have or consume the substance on campus is “a huge issue,” said Anna Poppe, an MU junior and the executive director of the campus’ chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.
It might not be the case for long. Dan Viets, a local attorney who is also the secretary of NORML’s national board of directors and its Missouri coordinator, said the organization has a sponsor in the state General Assembly for a bill that would require public universities to allow authorized students access to their medical marijuana.
“We hope the university will change its policy,” Viets said, adding that “whether (the bill) passes or not this year remains to be seen.”
An MU spokesperson declined to address the future of medical marijuana on campus.
While NORML may still see more restrictions to loosen around campus, Thursday still marks a key milestone in Viets’ eyes.
“MU can prohibit marijuana use on its premises,” he said, “but it’s not going to be able to arrest people and have them prosecuted and threatened with jail any longer.”
More applications rolling in?
MU might see another impact from recreational marijuana legalization that’s outside of the university’s control: an influx of applications from prospective students.
A group of economists found that universities see about a 15% increase in applications after legalization, according to their pre-print study. The influx doesn’t necessarily lead to more students, though — as it’s still up to schools to admit them.
Joshua Hess, an economics professor at the University of South Carolina and one of the researchers, said that the additional applications are sometimes reflections of students’ appreciation for more liberal laws around marijuana.
“For example, they might think ‘Whatever school I go to, I’m going to be smoking pot. I want to be in a place where I’m not going to jail for it,'” Hess said.
Poppe agrees that college students will be particularly likely to consume recreational marijuana, “if you could throw a stereotype on it.”
But not all college students will be able to partake in legal recreational weed. Even when Amendment 3 updates Article XIV on Thursday, marijuana possession and consumption will still be illegal for those under 21.
The penalty for those underage will be a $100 civil fine and forfeiture of the marijuana, but four hours of drug education or counseling can replace the fine.
On UM System campuses, students who violate marijuana policies could face discipline as severe as expulsion and employees could be terminated, according to Stackman’s announcement.
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