What the Maryland Cannabis Law Means for Colleges
By Sara Benjamin-Neelon and Raimee Eck
For The Baltimore Sun
Published: Aug 25, 2023 at 5:00 am
Summer is ending and, ready or not, a new academic year is starting. Hundreds of thousands of students are returning to campuses throughout Maryland.
These past few years have been hard on everyone and tragic for many. The COVID-19 pandemic left a devastating wake. Numerous students — far more than in any other year — disclosed challenges with mental health issues and family problems that made it difficult for them to engage in their studies and sometimes remain students.
We just started to return to normal, at least our new normal. We are back to in-person classes, meeting in offices and having lunch in cafes.
But now, just as we are settling into our new normal, things are changing again. Earlier this year, it became legal for adults 21 years and older to possess fewer than 1.5 ounces of cannabis for recreational use in Maryland. Legalization of cannabis brings unique challenges to academic institutions primarily due to conflicts with federal law. Even though Maryland has legalized cannabis, students may not use or consume cannabis on campuses or at off-campus events sponsored by schools.
The Federal Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act and the Drug-Free Workplace Act require all public and private colleges and universities receiving federal funds (basically all of them) to ban possession, use, and distribution of Schedule I illicit drugs, which includes cannabis. This includes students and staff with a medical cannabis card.
Based on a recent survey of nearly 3,000 students at a dozen Maryland schools, most do not understand where and when they can legally possess and use cannabis. Smoking or consuming cannabis in public remains illegal. And, most importantly, it is completely illegal in any form anywhere on public or private campuses and at off-campus events.
We have a challenge — to not only explain to students this legal nuance, but to not gloss over the many risks associated with cannabis, or any substance use, during this critical life stage. Federal law bans cannabis on college and university campuses for a reason.
Cannabis does not reduce stress and anxiety, especially with longer-term and excessive use. Instead, cannabis impacts the ability to learn, problem solve and concentrate. These skills are critical for academic success. Research shows that for college students, cannabis use may be associated with poorer class attendance, a lower GPA and higher drop-out rates. As teachers, many of us are ill-equipped to manage yet another health issue facing students.
We have not been trained to recognize students struggling with addiction or dependence. We can refer to appropriate support services on campus, but in the absence of disclosure, how do we recognize the signs of students who need our help? Are we comfortable having those difficult conversations? Do we know what to say?
Compounding the issue is the fact that cannabis has changed. The percentage of tetrahydrocannabinol (or THC) — the major psychoactive component — has increased dramatically over the past decade. In 1995, when we were in college, the average THC content was around 4%. Today, cannabis products like gummies and other edibles may contain as much as 40-80% THC. As the saying goes, this is not your grandpa’s weed.
We recognize there are expected benefits to legalizing recreational cannabis, and a majority of Maryland voters have spoken. But cannabis today is the great unknown, especially when compared to well-researched health and social effects from use of other substances (e.g., alcohol, opioids).
We don’t know or fully understand the potentially harmful effects of cannabis-containing products. We do know that colleges and universities can take steps to help ensure students and faculty are well versed in cannabis-related risks to student mental and physical health and academic success.
In the wake of a devastating public health crisis and unprecedented student distress, faculty need to work harder than ever to support our students. This includes having candid and sometimes difficult conversations about cannabis.
Sara Benjamin-Neelon and Raimee Eck are faculty members at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. They can be reached at sara.neelon@jhu.edu. The views and opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.
Sara Benjamin-Neelon and Raimee Eck are faculty members at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. They can be reached at sara.neelon@jhu.edu. The views and opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.
What the Maryland Cannabis Law Means for Colleges
By Sara Benjamin-Neelon and Raimee Eck
For The Baltimore Sun
Published: Aug 25, 2023 at 5:00 am
Summer is ending and, ready or not, a new academic year is starting. Hundreds of thousands of students are returning to campuses throughout Maryland.
These past few years have been hard on everyone and tragic for many. The COVID-19 pandemic left a devastating wake. Numerous students — far more than in any other year — disclosed challenges with mental health issues and family problems that made it difficult for them to engage in their studies and sometimes remain students.
We just started to return to normal, at least our new normal. We are back to in-person classes, meeting in offices and having lunch in cafes.
But now, just as we are settling into our new normal, things are changing again. Earlier this year, it became legal for adults 21 years and older to possess fewer than 1.5 ounces of cannabis for recreational use in Maryland. Legalization of cannabis brings unique challenges to academic institutions primarily due to conflicts with federal law. Even though Maryland has legalized cannabis, students may not use or consume cannabis on campuses or at off-campus events sponsored by schools.
The Federal Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act and the Drug-Free Workplace Act require all public and private colleges and universities receiving federal funds (basically all of them) to ban possession, use, and distribution of Schedule I illicit drugs, which includes cannabis. This includes students and staff with a medical cannabis card.
Based on a recent survey of nearly 3,000 students at a dozen Maryland schools, most do not understand where and when they can legally possess and use cannabis. Smoking or consuming cannabis in public remains illegal. And, most importantly, it is completely illegal in any form anywhere on public or private campuses and at off-campus events.
We have a challenge — to not only explain to students this legal nuance, but to not gloss over the many risks associated with cannabis, or any substance use, during this critical life stage. Federal law bans cannabis on college and university campuses for a reason.
Cannabis does not reduce stress and anxiety, especially with longer-term and excessive use. Instead, cannabis impacts the ability to learn, problem solve and concentrate. These skills are critical for academic success. Research shows that for college students, cannabis use may be associated with poorer class attendance, a lower GPA and higher drop-out rates. As teachers, many of us are ill-equipped to manage yet another health issue facing students.
We have not been trained to recognize students struggling with addiction or dependence. We can refer to appropriate support services on campus, but in the absence of disclosure, how do we recognize the signs of students who need our help? Are we comfortable having those difficult conversations? Do we know what to say?
Compounding the issue is the fact that cannabis has changed. The percentage of tetrahydrocannabinol (or THC) — the major psychoactive component — has increased dramatically over the past decade. In 1995, when we were in college, the average THC content was around 4%. Today, cannabis products like gummies and other edibles may contain as much as 40-80% THC. As the saying goes, this is not your grandpa’s weed.
We recognize there are expected benefits to legalizing recreational cannabis, and a majority of Maryland voters have spoken. But cannabis today is the great unknown, especially when compared to well-researched health and social effects from use of other substances (e.g., alcohol, opioids).
We don’t know or fully understand the potentially harmful effects of cannabis-containing products. We do know that colleges and universities can take steps to help ensure students and faculty are well versed in cannabis-related risks to student mental and physical health and academic success.
In the wake of a devastating public health crisis and unprecedented student distress, faculty need to work harder than ever to support our students. This includes having candid and sometimes difficult conversations about cannabis.
Sara Benjamin-Neelon and Raimee Eck are faculty members at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. They can be reached at sara.neelon@jhu.edu. The views and opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.
Sara Benjamin-Neelon and Raimee Eck are faculty members at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. They can be reached at sara.neelon@jhu.edu. The views and opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.