Sophomore Gabrielle Friedman, a Hatchet columnist, urges GW to revisit the campus-wide ban on medical marijuana.
With the passing of Initiative 59 this spring, medical marijuana became legal in the District. Finally, the D.C. Council realized the lunacy of keeping the substance illegal for medical purposes. But GW administrators clearly still fear the reefer, because they have banned the use or possession of medical marijuana on campus.
While I can sympathize with the University in its mission to keep illicit substances off campus, I can’t agree with denying a student with a valid prescription the right to do something that would be perfectly legal anywhere else in the city.
I really enjoyed reading this very well written article on the injustices still suffered by good people because of the wholly unfounded belief that this plant, this wonder of nature, is a dangerous drug. Never mind that this plant was used to the benefit of mankind for thousands of years prior to the short-sighted prohibition put in place by the United States, primarily as a racist political scheme engineered by Harry Anslinger and his ilk. But the knee-jerk reaction of vilifying marijuana despite emerging information regarding this kind plant show little regard for the science of marijuana, and take the coward’s route when dealing with even medical use. It appears that GW is still stuck in the mire of the worn out and discounted rhetoric of days past.
Attitudes will change eventually. But don’t expect those who think it is their jobs to protect us from ourselves to yield willingly. After all, if we legalize the use of marijuana they will have to get real jobs. Wake up America!!