Alcohol and Marijuana...What you need to know!

When moving into your WSU residence halls it's important to be aware of what the rules or regulations are in Gannon Goldsworthy Hall as well as across campus. Here are some frequently misunderstood rules about Alcohol and Marijuana at Washington State University.

So Marijuana and Alcohol is pretty much all you do in college right? Well, actually the perception is that 95% of college students drink daily. Well, the perception is wrong! 20% of WSU students have not had a drink in the past year and 62% of WSU students have not had more than 5 drinks in a single sitting!

So what does that mean? That means that when students come to college they assume that they should be drinking and smoking because that is what all of the other students are doing. Well the reality of the situation is that more and more students are choosing not to drink and/or smoke on a regular basis.

So now that you realize what students are actually doing it's important to recognize what the ACTUAL rules of these substances are! So let's go through some common things that students actually get in trouble for.

1) I have a Medical Marijuana card so I can have Marijuana on campus.

FALSE: WSU is a federally funded institution which means no marijuana is legal on the WSU campus regardless of whether you have a medical marijuana card or not. If you would like to be accommodated for your medical marijuana card then you need to visit www.access.wsu.edu

2) Marijuana is legal in Washington now so I can smoke it!

FALSE: Marijuana is legal for students only over the age of 21. Most WSU students are under the assumption that because it is legal in Washington and it is easier to acces that they will be able to

3) If I smoke or drink in my room I can't get into trouble!

FALSE: Students who are suspected of drinking or smoking in their rooms are breaking Federal Law as well as Washington State Codes of Conduct and will be held to those rules and expectations. Keep in mind that students who choose to be uncooperative during these situations could be subject to legal action

4) Alcohol bottles look pretty and that means I can display them in my room!

FALSE: Last year 'trophy bottles' were not considered to be a contract violation however this year that has changed. Student who have alcohol bottles in their rooms that are empty will be asked to meet with the Residential Education Director and asked to dispose of their bottles. That means .... don't pack that sweet alcohol bottle lamp you wanted to bring.

5) I can drink in my room if my roommate is 21!

TRUE and FALSE: If you and your roommate are both 21 then sure, crack open an alcoholic beveage and consume it in a responsible way. If your roommate is 21 and you are under the age of 21 you are not allowed to consume alcohol in the room. You are allowed to be in the room when your roommate drinks but you will not be allowed to consume alcohol in anyway. It is also worth noting that if there is a guest who is under the age of 21 that is also not permitted and could result in more serious consequences.

The basic notion of this post is to make sure that you are not drinking under the age of 21 and you do not smoke on the WSU campus. If you choose to smoke marijuana off campus in a private residence and are over the age of 21 then you are able to do so.

If you have any questions about these rules and regulations you can look at the WSU student codes of conduct which you can find here: http://conduct.wsu.edu/policies/

If you have questions about the housing policies you can re-read your housing contract here: http://housing.wsu.edu/media/2356/hdpolicies-16-17-1.pdf

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