By Audrey Elwood, Staff Writer
After Queen City Cannabis medical marijuana dispensary opened its doors on Jan. 22 across from the All for One Shop on Montgomery Road, Xavier administration has expressed concern about its possible impacts.
Currently Queen City Cannabis is only serving medicinal marijuana, but it plans to expand to recreational marijuana in fall of 2024 in light of its recent legalization in Ohio.
In the 2023 election, the state of Ohio voted to approve ballot initiative Issue 2, which legalized the sale and purchase of recreational marijuana and allows for adults who are 21 or older to use and possess it.
It is currently legal to sell and purchase medical marijuana in the state of Ohio. It has been legal since the passage of House Bill 523 on Sept. 8, 2016.
While marijuana is legal in the state of Ohio, this does not mean it is legal on federally funded campuses.
Medical and recreational marijuana is still illegal federally, and therefore any federally funded institutions must abide by federal law.
“The federal government still considers marijuana to be an illicit drug. Xavier must abide by federal laws, including the Drug-Free Workplace Act and the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act. If we fail to comply, Xavier could lose its eligibility for federal funding, including student financial aid programs and grants,” Dean of Students’ Office said in a statement following the passage of Issue 2.
Students who live off campus in non-university housing and are of age are held to the state standard.
However, if a student is on campus and is under the influence, they will be held to the university policy.
Law enforcement will intervene on any residence hall reports of marijuana use.
XUPD has been in talks with Residence Life about adding new policies and safeguards around marijuana usage in dormitories.
First-year Philosophy, Politics and the Public (PPP) and political science major Savannah Hugenber predicted that marijuana use on campus will increase due to the new dispensary.
“It’s likely that there’s going to be a lot more infractions on campus since getting weed will be a lot easier,” Hugenber said.
“I also think because it’s strictly a medical dispensary, there’s going to be more people forging medical cards and doing illegal things to get marijuana,” Hugenber said.
Sophomore PPP major and the Student Government Association’s Student’s Rights and Identities committee Chair Emma Schwarz agreed.
“I think it’s no coincidence that the dispensary decided to be up the street from Xavier,” Schwarz said.
“We have discussed with both Dr. Kimberly Moore and XUPD about the implications that having a dispensary near campus would cause,” Schwarz added.
The dispensary is now open for business. Schwarz urges students to proceed with caution.
“It’s very important to stress to other students that just because it’s legal in Ohio, this does not automatically translate to campus,” Schwarz said.
Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Kimberly Moore echoed Schwarz.
“I really just want students to educate themselves — make sure that they know the nuances of the law and the nuances of the policy that applies to campus because those two things are different,” Moore said.
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