By Mike Cook | 21 February 2017
High time for marijuana decriminalisation in VirginiaStudents and senators call for lessening of laws governing drug useBLACKSBURG – In the dead of night, it can be smelt before it can be seen. The dense aroma of marijuana smoke seeps beneath the door to a Virginia Tech student’s dorm room. The student, who will be called Mary Jane to protect her identity, inhales with ease.
Jane maintains her composure, just as a habitual marijuana-smoker would, and sinks into a state of utter relaxation. Smoke wafts around her, fogging her mind as much as it does the room. “I do it usually one time every two weeks,” she said. Like her friends, she freely admits her regular disregard for state laws. Marijuana use is high within the Blacksburg community – pun intended – and Virginian senators and college students are calling for the decriminalization of the banned substance, criticizing the strictness of current legislation. Despite previously voting against the bill, Republican and Virginia Senate majority leader Tommy Norment urged the crime commission to launch a study into the decriminalization of marijuana in Virginia at this year’s General Assembly session. Norment claims the current legislation irrationally reprimands citizens for the most modest of drug use. Currently, the penalty for possession of small amounts of marijuana in Virginia is stricter than other states. According to Virginian law, a first-time offender could face up to 30 days in jail and a fine of $500. A second conviction is a steep increase: one year’s jail time and a fine of $2,500. Virginia Tech police officers remain active on arrests, recording 22 cases of criminal drug offenses in less than two months.
In Blacksburg, arrests for recreational marijuana consumption account for a significant portion of campus crime. Since the new year, more than one in six campus arrests have been drug-related. Virginia Tech officers are often called by campus resident advisors to impede students smoking.
According to Blacksburg Police Services Supervisor Sergeant Sedrick Hayes, officers continue to be active against drug use in the region. Yet, despite strict state laws, Hayes speaks with nonchalance about those possessing marijuana for personal use, mimicking Norment’s views. “We’re not going to put you in handcuffs for a having a small amount,” Hayes said. “You’d mostly receive a $250 - $500 fine.” For students like Jane, a small fine would not be a deterrent. “I’d be bummed but it wouldn’t stop me from smoking.” Reflecting on her experiences using marijuana as a relaxant and social stimulant, she said she views the drug as a part of the American lifestyle. “My family grew up smoking pot. My parents used to grow it and I’ve been raised with it. It’s a norm.” “People use it for all different reasons,” Jane said. “There’s people who use it for health. I have a friend who uses it to help her study. A lot of my friends smoke it as a fun sort of thing to do together.” She lists uses for marijuana extending from health to social engagement, adamant the positives of decriminalization outweigh the negatives. In Jane’s eyes, the law prohibits a substance that aids more than ails. With no doubt in her mind, she refutes anti-marijuana legislation. “There’s definitely a place for marijuana in the college community,” she said. “In the whole global community.” |