Posts on social media have brought the issue of people smoking in dorms to the forefront. In Alabama, marijuana is illegal. The use of marijuana is also strongly prohibited on Troy University’s campus.
Recently, on social media, a statement circulated that residents will receive a $50 reward for reporting smells that result in seizure of marijuana in the dorms.
Herbert Reeves, dean of student services, confirmed the rumor is not true, and there is no reward system for reporting drug use on campus.
However, Reeves also said people smoking on campus, especially in the dorms, has been an issue for a long time.
“I’ve been responsible and working in housing for over 41 years, and it’s been that way for that whole time,” Reeves said.
Chief of the Troy University Police Department (TUPD) George Beaudry said within the last few years, there’s been an uptick in people recreationally smoking marijuana.
“It’s becoming socially acceptable even in areas where the law prohibits it,” Beaudry said.
According to Reeves, resident assistants (RAs) must follow protocol when it comes to students smoking in the dorms. When RAs are aware of marijuana use, they can do room checks, but they are not allowed to physically search through residents’ belongings or drawers.
“We can’t go in, find marijuana in the room, call the police and go ‘Hey, here it is,’ and the police arrest them,” Reeves said. “They have to have a search warrant.”
If TUPD have to get involved, Beaudry said students can’t get in trouble for simply smelling like marijuana because it’s hard to pinpoint where and who it’s coming from.
However, the crime would be having marijuana in one’s personal possession, which is a second-degree misdemeanor. Beaudry said a first-time offender gets reported to Student Services, where they may receive academic consequences, such as suspension from the university.
“Hopefully, if a student gets into a position where that first time offense gets them enough discipline over there, then maybe it’ll change their trajectory without us having to take them to jail,” Beaudry said.
Students who become second-time offenders could receive a more serious consequence.
“It’s highly likely that on a second offense, we’re going to take them to jail, which will, in fact, be their first criminal offense, so it’s still a misdemeanor,” Beaudry said.
This semester, TUPD has been called to investigate the marijuana odor on campus. On the morning of Sept. 25, TUPD responded to the area of Pace Hall, where a student was found to be in possession of a small amount of Marijuana. According to Beaudry, criminal charges in this case, as most other first time misdemeanor Marijuana cases, will be deferred to student services for disciplinary action.
Other cases have been rumored but not confirmed.
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