Sacramento State and other CSU campuses will remain officially pot free, despite legalization of recreational marijuana use in California. (Sacramento State)Voter-approved Proposition 64 legalized the recreational use of marijuana in California as of Jan. 1. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, however, declared that federal laws takes precedence and vowed stepped-up enforcement.
Regardless of that debate, pot's status at Sac State is clear: It's not to be used on campus or at University events.
Because Sac State receives federal funding, it is bound by regulations such as those found in the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act and the Drug Free Workplace Act. They required California State University to establish policies that prohibit marijuana use, possession, and distribution on campuses and in the workplace.
“While marijuana is regulated differently in California, Sacramento State’s obligations under federal law trump any state justification for the use of marijuana, meaning that even with a prescription, marijuana on campus is a policy violation which may be grounds for discipline or corrective action,” says Mark Iwasa, Sacramento State police chief.
Pot use is prohibited across the board at Sac State. Iwasa says that for the whole campus community – students, faculty and staff – it is illegal to consume or sell edible cannabis products anywhere on campus, and use, possession and cultivation of marijuana in residence halls is prohibited.
Additionally, CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White issued an executive order to all 23 campuses in April requiring each to become smoke- and tobacco free. The ban includes traditional cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, hookah, snuff, vapes, and chewing tobacco. The smoke- and tobacco-free policy includes all of Sac State’s indoor and outdoor areas in an effort to create a healthier campus environment.
Sacramento State President Robert S. Nelsen announced during his fall address in August that the University would become tobacco free, though implementation of the ban is being done in a deliberate way to allow the campus community to adjust. Iwasa said the ban would not be actively enforced until the Fall 2018 semester. - Anita Fitzhugh
Resources:
Sacramento Bee: http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article192191849.html
Employee Assistance Program: http://www.csus.edu/hr/departments/benefits/eap.html
Student Health & Counseling Services: http://www.csus.edu/shcs/
Smoke and Tobacco Free Campus: http://www.csus.edu/tobaccofree/faq.html
Alcohol Beverage and Drug Policy: http://www.csus.edu/umanual/student/stu-0103.html
CSU Drug-Free Workplace Policy: http://www.calstate.edu/eo/EO-930.pdf