Cal State University Fullerton: No medical marijuana for students

(The Daily Titan) When Eden Gonzalez, 21, first arrived at California State University Monterey Bay, she wanted to take her doctor-prescribed medication. Her resident adviser said no. The reason? Her medicine was marijuana.

“The biggest problem we were having at CSUMB was the issue with Residential Life,” Gonzalez said. “Campus police were actually pretty cool and I’ve had friends whose med-stash was returned after showing medical proof. But with Res-Life, you can have your medical marijuana, but you can’t smoke it, which is the problem.”

Because of the dorm rules, Gonzalez had to either give up marijuana or her convenience of living on campus. She eventually moved out of the dorms and into an off-campus apartment nearby. Gonzalez now serves as the executive director of CSUMB’s chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).

Gonzalez is one of many students trying to figure out how state, federal and university law applies to the use of medical marijuana.

CSUF police continue to stop students from smoking marijuana,”It’s still a federal offense,” [Sergeant Nigel Williams of CSUF police department] said.

CSUF police Lt. Don Landers concurred with Williams, “it is in violation of campus policy and if students bring marijuana with or without a prescription it will still be confiscated,” Landers said.

CSUF police officers would probably not arrest a medical marijuana user. “However the individual will be subject to a judicial citation and referral to the judicial affairs officer on campus,” Landers said.

When asked why it would be a problem at all, Landers answered, “It is against federal law and the university receives federal funding, not just state.”

Isn’t nice to know the fine college cops of the California State University system have been entrusted to enforce federal law?

Oh, wait, they aren’t charged with enforcing federal law.  See, this case called City of Garden Grove v. Kha was denied review by both the California and United States Supreme Courts, which let stand the lower court ruling, which, in a nutshell, said “it is not the job of the local police to enforce the federal drug laws.”

Now if it is a violation of campus policy, then students, please, organize to change these campus policies!  If you do not have a NORML chapter on your campus fighting to protect on-campus medical rights, then contact me at stash@norml.org and I’ll help you get started.