In this photo taken May 13, 2009 marijuana grown for medical purposes is shown inside a greenhouse at a farm in Potter Valley, Calif. In the mountain forests along California's North Coast, refugees from San Francisco's Summer of Love have spent four decades hiding from the law as they tended some of the world's most fabled marijuana gardens. After all those years, several statewide efforts to legalize marijuana could finally let those growers come out into the light. But at a community meeting in the heart of Northern California pot country on Tuesday, many growers said they were more worried about the cost of legalization to their bottom lines than about any federal raid. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
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A recent study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse has found
that marijuana can greatly harm a student’s ability to learn and
function in an educational environment. The study showed that
students that use marijuana are more likely to not do as well as
students who do not use the illegal drug during their college
years.
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According to the study, students who use marijuana are more likely
to drop out of school compared to students who do not use the
illegal drug. The NIDA study also stressed that students who use
marijuana are highly likely to be functioning at a lower
intellectual level than non-smoking students.
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In the NIDA study, marijuana users were more likely to miss class
and are more likely to have low grades.
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Some students like UNA Junior Kristen Robertson think that
marijuana use while in an educational environment just does not
make sense.
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“A lot of students in the dorms use marijuana because they think it
clears their minds before tests.” Robertson said. “It slows your
mind, so of course you are not in the right mindset to do
well.”
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“Factually it does not make sense.” UNA Director of Health and
Wellness Cindy Wood said regarding marijuana use while in
school.
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“It is an oxymoron; something that slows your drive would make you
perform better,” Wood said. “It takes away student’s drive, and
students are going to mellow out and let their life go by.”
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Wood said that not only does smoking marijuana kill brain cells,
but it also disrupts sleep patterns, slows all responses and
worsens any psychological conditions a student may have.
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“Generally, marijuana decreases performance in not just your
student life, but it affects everything across the board.” Kristi
Reece, CRNP with UNA Health and Wellness said.
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Reece warns that the effects of marijuana can end up getting a
student kicked out of school from poor academic performance.
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Recently, Vice President for Student Affairs David Shields sent out
a campus-wide advisory regarding on-campus use of marijuana and
other illegal drugs.
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Shields cited his campus-wide announcement from a recent
nation-wide spike in colleges dealing with illegal drug use on
campus. Shields said universities combating marijuana use is
becoming a national trend.
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Shields reiterated the university’s policy in his campus-wide
message. “It’s not a new policy, it has always been our policy,”
Shields said.
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“We have a zero-tolerance policy on drugs at UNA,” Shields
stressed. “If you are doing drugs on campus, it is illegal, and we
will not tolerate it.”
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Shields said that UNA wants students to come to UNA for an
educational experience and engage themselves positively at the
university.
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“We want students to come to UNA to learn, grow and have a positive
college experience,” Shields said. “If you do not want to be here
for that, maybe this is not the campus for you.”
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Shields wants students to know that marijuana use can not only
affect your educational experience, but it can affect many things
in a student’s future. “Infractions at the university can have an
effect on your future job searches,” Shields warned.
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Shields urges students to use the silent witness link on the UNA
Police website to report any suspicious activity on or around
campus. The anonymous witness link is available at
una.edu/police.
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Wood suggests students take advantage of the services offered by
the UNA Health and Wellness Center. Counselors are available for
students who are suffering with alcohol or substance abuse by
appointment. To make an appointment with a counselor, call
256-765-4328 or visit Bennett Infirmary.