Disclaimer: This editorial does not condone or encourage the illicit use of drugs or illegal activity. Furthermore, we remind our readers that marijuana is an offense under Federal Law.
Yes, it’s time talk about everyone’s favorite schedule one drug, marijuana.
The issue at hand? People smoking weed on campus.
Whether the Cerritos College community acknowledges it or not, which it doesn’t, people are hooking up with Mary Jane all over campus.
While this doesn’t necessarily cause any harm to anybody and people have a right to do what they want to do, it’s still important to recognize the fact that this takes place on campus.
People smell weed as they walk by the Business Administration building, the parking lots and especially by the amphitheater hill which so happens to be located directly in front of the Student Activities office.
The issue isn’t whether or not weed is good or bad, it’s about the fact that marijuana is still federally illegal which means that when students smoke weed on campus, or in public in general, they put themselves and those around them at risk of getting in trouble with the law.
While the legal system, especially in California, is more lenient with the use of marijuana these days, it’s still better to be safe than sorry.
Campus police does in fact receive calls about marijuana use on campus, such as at the hill, and responds accordingly.
Others seem to turn a blind eye to those who smoke weed on campus, but why?
It looks as though the school is not fully aware of the issue because it really isn’t causing any harm.
In fact, according to our campus’ Annual Security Report there have only been 10 arrests of marijuana related charges on campus from 2012 to 2014.
The rumors about the “potheads” on the hill still continue because the campus community seems to be sweeping this issue under the rug, taking the students along with it.
The problem is that when you ignore an issue that involves small clusters in the college community, you inadvertently start to ignore the students who are part of those clusters.
Some of the hillside students on campus feel that while the community doesn’t bother them for congregating, the community has done little to welcome the students.
It would be a shame for students to not feel like a part of the Cerritos College community because of their interests in marijuana culture.
If students don’t feel welcomed, students will be less inclined to even finish their academic goals.
Over the last decade, marijuana has become such a mainstream part of Southern California culture that it’s strange to witness the effects of the stigma on campus.
Even though there is still a huge stigma with marijuana, the students who smoke weed on campus are students first and should be welcomed as such.
Those who are smoking in public are also being as disrespectful to those around them.
While many can see marijuana being legal in the states within the next few years, America is not yet ready to accept weed with open arms.
Smoking weed on campus causes more problems than anything else, and like anything of nature should be done at the appropriate settings.
Replace the idea of smoking with drinking, would people be as open to the idea and ignore it?
Eventually, what’s to stop anybody from coming onto this public campus to start smoking or drinking?
First it’s smoking on campus, then it’s drinking and before you know it, we’ll have students passed out in public.
Not because marijuana is a gateway drug, or anything of the sort, but because the school is unintentionally giving people, not only students of this campus, an open spot to smoke weed.
This can pose safety concerns or overall health concerns from students who may not be informed about the effects of marijuana.
While students feel comfortable on campus smoking weed, many students may very well feel uncomfortable with the idea of it.
There needs to be much more of an acknowledgement of the fact that people are smoking weed on campus, because there is a huge lack of respect from both sides.
