VCU alcohol violations plummeted, students switching to cannabis

Selna Shi, Contributing Writer

Alcohol violations on VCU campus have decreased 93% within the past five years and a 72% decrease in liquor law referrals, according to VCU Police’s annual report released last month. 

David Guevara, a freshman living in Gladding Residence Center, said cannabis is more popular than alcohol among students due to health reasons. 

“Students smoke weed because it helps with anxiety and depression,” Guevara said. “Weed is also more accessible.” 

Virginia recently legalized possession of one ounce of cannabis for adults over 21 in 2021, according to Virginia law.

VCU changed their approach in 2020 to respond to alcohol and drug violations in the dorms. Instead of dispatching a police officer, a housing staff member, such as a resident advisor, gives students violation referrals, according to Corey Byers, senior public relations for VCU Police.

“We believe change in the protocols impacted the data on alcohol-related infractions.This was about the same time that marijuana was decriminalized in Virginia,” Byers said. “There were also fewer students on campus during the pandemic was likely a factor, and comparisons for all the pandemic time periods’ data are not consistent with a regular academic year.”

Senior political science student Karen Dorgbadzi said the decriminalization of cannabis in Virginia has definitely allowed more students to have access to it. 

“I don’t personally know anyone who buys from dispensaries, but most people have friends who are over 21 for access to alcohol or weed,” Dorgbadzi said.

Other Virginia schools — like James Madison University and Virginia Tech — have had alcohol violations increase within the past three years, according to their annual security and fire reports. In 2019, JMU had 30 liquor law violations and in 2021, it increased to 109. For Virginia Tech, the university had 532 liquor law violations in 2019 and 631 in 2021. 

JMU has about 60% of the undergraduate and graduate enrollment that Virginia Tech has for this fall.

University of Virginia had a consistent liquor law violation between 2019 and 2021, with 328 in 2019, 319 in 2020 and 325 in 2021, according to their annual security and fire report. 

Matt Lovisa, director of Communications and Marketing in Student Affairs, said VCU prohibits the unlawful possession and use of cannabis since it is considered a controlled substance under the current alcohol and drugs policies of federal law. 

The possession of paraphernalia such as “roach clips, bongs, pipes, blow tubes, bowls, and any type of water pipe is also prohibited,” according to the student code of conduct.

In VCU residential dorms, students who are over 21 are not allowed to possess or consume alcohol in common areas such as bathrooms and lobbies, but are allowed within their assigned room, according to Lovisa. 

If an underage student is caught with alcohol or any student is caught with cannabis in their dorms, they’re required to dispose of the substance while a Resident Advisor, or RA, is present, according to Rhoads Hall RA Sanjana Davis. The student will receive a write up as a warning.

“Just don’t do it on the dorm premises, go somewhere else so RAs don’t have to write you up,” Davis said. 

After the first write up, if the student violates the alcohol and drugs policy again, the issue will go to the student code of conduct, according to Davis.

Christina Tillery, first year graduate student studying counseling education, said students might prefer cannabis over alcohol due its after effects. 

“Weed is considered ‘non-addictive’ and more natural. People use it to self-medicate and there are no hangovers,” Tillery said.