Marijuana sends students to hospital

Asya Magazinnik Staff Writer

On Friday, Dec. 2 at 8:30 a.m., two students requested transport to Baldwin because of a severe reaction to marijuana they had ingested the night before.

By the time the Baldwin staff called an ambulance, a third student had phoned in with the same complaint. The students were taken to a local hospital, where they were treated for marijuana poisoning. A police officer also arrived on campus to investigate the incident.

According to Director of Security Don Marsala, the students experienced a delayed reaction to a marijuana overdose. The marijuana was mixed with peanut butter, spread over crackers, and served at a gathering that all three students had attended the previous evening.

“The students weren’t regular marijuana users and ingested more than they could handle,” said Marsala.

It is unclear whether the poisoning resulted simply from an overdose or because of a contaminant in the marijuana. The College is awaiting a report from the hospital that treated the students.

Dean of Students DB Brown said, “Some students think they know exactly how safe something is, but in fact you never know how strong it could be...and what I worry a lot about, aside from the legality, is that there is a Russian roulette aspect to it—you never know what you’re taking.”

“The investigation is continuing,” said Marsala. “There may be a College Regulations Panel convened.”

According to Brown, there are disciplinary processes in motion that may affect both the students who ingested the marijuana and those who provided it.

“Certainly, if someone gives drugs to someone else, we take that very seriously,” said Brown. “Students who give, distribute, and sell marijuana are actively putting others at risk.”

According to Assistant Director of Residential Life Richard Horowitz, this case will be reviewed by the administration. “To clear up any misconceptions, any allegations of any policy violation we’ll address,” said Horowitz.

Disciplinary measures for students who are caught possessing marijuana follow one of two courses. Minor offenses are handled on a case-by-case basis by the House Fellows and the Residential Life Office. These cases are usually punishable by expulsion from the dorms, with the possibility of temporary suspension from the College.

More serious offenses are tried before the College Regulations Panel, which is comprised of students, faculty, and administrators. All disciplinary decisions are based on the code of conduct described in the Vassar College Regulations Handbook.

“The College uses [the handbook] to tell students, ‘Here’s what you can expect,’” said Horowitz. “It’s a part of transparency…the process is predictable, and students know we’ll never pull one over on you.”

According to Horowitz, the College generally considers the distribution of drugs to be a greater concern than use, but added, “Drug policy says that possession, whether for personal use or distribution, is a serious violation.”