On November 6, Michigan voters passed Proposal 18-1 legalizing recreational marijuana for people of 21 years of age or older.  The pending regulations have yet to take effect, but there are still tensions on the subject. Wayne State University reminds and warns students that, “While the proposed changes State law, it has no effect at all on Federal law.”

Wayne State University Student, Haley Cross, 20, says she is “disappointed with how Wayne State is handling the passing of prop[osition] 18-1.” On November 13 the Wayne State campus community forwarded an email that said, “Wayne State University complies with both Federal law and State law, and like other Michigan educational institutions, Wayne State remains bound by the commitments that have been made to the Federal government.”  Most says that she believes that “it would be better if they left it to the students to decide what they want to do, especially since they’re paying to be here. Besides, people are going to do it anyway. They did long before it was legalized.”

Other Wayne State students like Nathan Feldman, 18, say that “It’s not a big deal. We live so close to Canada that there are students who commute for classes. If someone is really set on smoking, they can go down the street. It will not pass for another few weeks, so that’s enough time to plan a trip. If students really want to do it, they could also just get off campus.” A similar proposition in Canada was put into effect on October 17, legalizing recreational marijuana for people at least 19 years of age.

Some students, like Kirsten Callahan, 21, understand how and why Wayne State has handled the passed proposition. Callahan says “at the end of the day, Wayne State is a public institution. They probably receive funding and grants from the federal government in some way. Because they are beholden to the federal government, it makes sense that they would side with what federal law says.

According to Inside Higher Ed, the leading digital media company serving the higher education space, “Public colleges…in 2013 received an average of 21 percent of their funding from state funds and 16 percent of their funding from the federal government.” Wayne State University has been a public research university since it was founded in 1868.

Outside of the university’s federal responsibilities, “The Student Code of Conduct, Section 4.8, and Board of Governors policy WSUCA, 2.20.04, continue to prohibit the unlawful possession, use, distribution sales, or manufacture or drugs or alcohol on university premises and university worksites.”

According to the spokesman for the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Fred Woodhams, the law will take effect Thursday, December 6. After it passed adults over the age of 21 will be able to possess and consume marijuana in the privacy of their own homes.

For more information regarding marijuana on Wayne State campus, questions can be directed to Community Policing, Crime Prevention, Safety Awareness lieutenant David Scott at ab3559@wayne.edu or 313-577-6064.

For more information regarding the specifics of Proposition 18-1 can be found at https://www.michigan.gov/documents/sos/Official_Ballot_Wording_Prop_18-1_632051_7.pdf