A College Student's Guide to Cannabis
Navigating the ins and outs of cannabis usage and regulations can definitely be tricky sometimes. It can be even more difficult if you find yourself in a new situation like, if you’ve just become of age or you’ve moved somewhere new.
If you’re a college student you might find yourself in both situations and perhaps a little unsure of what to do when it comes to cannabis possession and consumption. Well, don’t worry, we’re here with some tips for college students to hopefully make your journey with cannabis a little bit easier.
Know the Laws
The very first thing you’re going to want to do is look into the laws that are in place in your state. You are going to want to look at the type of cannabis that is legal (is it just medical or recreational too?), the age requirements, documentation requirements and possession limits. You’ll typically be able to find this information on your departments of health’s website.
Most states require that you be over the age of 21 to purchase recreational cannabis and states that allow you to purchase medical cannabis at 18 will usually require a permanent address in the state for you to apply for a medical card.
If you’re going to school in the state that you live in or you establish a permanent address you may be able to apply for a med card, assuming you meet the other criteria.
Familiarizing yourself with the local laws is going to go a long way towards understanding cannabis usage in your new home away from home.
Know the Rules
After you learn the laws in your state, you’re going to want to learn the rules for your school and there may be multiple sets you’re going to want to get to know.
First you’re going to want to know if there is a school/campus wide rule when it comes to cannabis. Most schools are going to ban any kind of cannabis usage in the dorms or in campus buildings, sometimes it coincides with a drug use policy, sometimes it’s just a matter of safety. There might be different rules for outdoor areas of campus and it might change depending on if you have a city or more suburban campus.
Familiarize yourself with your student handbook and code of conduct, you might find more information on your institution’s drug policy and what is allowed for students.
There also might be additional rules for sports, clubs, and other student organizations. Make sure you check the guideline for these organizations that you’re a part of or talk to a student leader or faculty supervisor to get information on any drug policies they might have.
Additionally, if you consume cannabis for medical reasons, you might want to check in with your student health services to see if there are any kind of medical exemptions for campus marijuana policies.
Know your Limits
Going to college is usually a time to gain new experiences and become exposed to new things that you might not have gotten to try before. However, when trying cannabis for the first time, it’s important to be careful of how much you consume and be mindful of the ways that it can affect you.
The golden rule when trying cannabis for the first time is to start low, and go slow. Start with products that have low dosages so as not to get overwhelmed too quickly and consume them slowly, all while keeping track of how it’s affecting you.
Additionally, don’t mix cannabis with anything else, like alcohol or other drugs, especially when you’re new to it. It can alter the effect a lot and it could make for a pretty poor first experience with cannabis.
Be Safe
If you are new to the cannabis space or you’re just experiencing it in a place or environment, it’s important to know where to safely purchase your products. Make sure you are only purchasing cannabis from legal, reputable dispensaries.
It might be tempting to purchase your products from someone on campus or from friends of friends, especially if you’re underage but not only is that illegal, it can also be very dangerous. Even if you feel like you can trust the person, there is no way to know where that product came from or how it was processed. Even people with good intentions can make mistakes or trust the wrong person themselves.
Similarly, don’t accept cannabis from someone in a social setting, if you don’t know where it came from. It’s similar to accepting alcohol at a party, don’t drink it unless you saw it being poured or opened.
Be Aware and Respectful of Others
After you’ve ensured that you are following all of the rules on your campus concerning cannabis, now you just need to make sure that you are being respectful of others. College campuses can be pretty packed spaces, from the dorms, to the common spaces, and even the outdoor spaces can get pretty busy.
Being a good campus community member means being aware of the space you’re in and who’s around you. Having conversations with your roommates and friends about what they’re comfortable with concerning cannabis and keeping a respectful distance when in crowded public spaces can go a long way to making sure that everyone is happy and comfortable.
College is a great time to get outside of your comfort zone and try something new! If you decide that you want cannabis to be one of those new experiences, we hope that we’ve helped make it a little less intimidating and a little easier when you do.
If you’re new to the scene here in Tucson, then we at NatureMed would love to help you out on your journey and make sure that you have everything you need to have a great time!
Check out our online menu to see everything we have to offer and check our specials page to see all the ways you can save!