Medical Marijuana banned from Campus

April 11th, 2011

Rhode Island may be one of the handful of states where medical marijuana has been approved, but administrators at Brown University has continued to prohibit the smoking of cannabis on campus, saying that it is still against both state and federal law to do so.

Medical marijuana legalization occurred in 2009 after state legislators opted to override a veto by the then-Governor. New dispensaries are showing up across the state, with three scheduled to open this summer.

Despite this, Brown University has remained adamant at keeping cannabis off its campus, citing federal law that “prohibits smoking marijuana on any school grounds, including college campuses.” In a statement, the University noted that breaching these laws would put Brown’s federal funding at risk. 

Ill students requiring a doctor’s prescription for medical marijuana would need to consult with the Health Services on campus to look for potential options to suit both themselves and campus and federal law.

If caught using marijuana on campus, even if a student has a license for medical marijuana, he or she may be subject to suspension or even dismissal from Brown University in accordance with the disciplinary code.

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Brandon Yu, Senior Managing Editor