The UMBC Division of Student Affairs is fully-committed to the safety, personal health, and well-being of every student. Our programs and services are aligned to support positive and lawful choices, cognizant of the detrimental effects of illegal drug use.
On April 14, 2014, Governor O’Malley signed Senate Bill 364 into law, which decriminalized the use or possession of less than 10 grams (about 1/3 of an ounce) of marijuana. The new law goes into effect on October 1, 2014 and it should be noted: MARIJUANA IS STILL ILLEGAL in Maryland, just less illegal than it used to be.
The UMBC Division of Student Affairs would like for students and their parents to consider the following points:
- UMBC data from the National Collegiate Health Assessment shows that less than 30% of our students have ever used marijuana. Less than 3% of UMBC students report using marijuana three or more times per week (National College Health Assessment-II, UMBC Institutional Data Report, 2013). Simply put, not everyone’s doing it.
- Immediate effects include impaired short-term memory, attention, and judgment, as well as impaired balance and coordination. Marijuana use can also cause an increase in heart rate and may be linked to psychotic episodes (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2014).
- Anecdotal evidence at UMBC suggests that many of the students transported to the hospital for psychological reasons have positive toxicology screens for marijuana metabolites. Longer-lasting effects include impaired memory and learning skills, as well as sleep dysfunction. Chronic marijuana use can lead to addiction, an increased risk for bronchitis, schizophrenia in those that are vulnerable to the disease, anxiety, and depression (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2014).
See attachment for additional details.