Before Covid-19 moved learning online, there was an average of 9.7 arrests per year for drug-related violations from 2017 to 2019, and 38.7 drug-related disciplinary action/conduct referrals per year during the same time period, according to the College’s 2019-20 Security and Fire Safety Report. The statistics are separated from alcohol-related statistics, but it is unclear how many of those arrests and referrals were for marijuana specifically.
William Straniero, the deputy director of Campus Police, said that because this law takes effect immediately, there will be a period of interim policy while the department, the College and other local police departments decide what to do. As it stands, officers now cannot use smell as a basis to search a student’s room. Any legal punishments would be in accordance with the new law, but punishments on the College’s end may be different.
“This afternoon [Chief Timothy Grant] and I are on two Zoom meetings, one with the Mercer County Prosecutor’s office … and with the Attorney General who is having a Zoom meeting statewide for law enforcement,” he said.
“It affects a bunch of different departments,” he said, discussing the ways in which the bill will impact campus life. He also mentioned that the substance is still illegal on a federal level, and so that may play a role in any adjustments to the College’s policy.
“There are going to be a lot of substantial changes,” he said.