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Located in a town with coordinates farther north than most of the rest of the United States, the University of Maine and the students who attend have gained a reputation for a lot of things — wearing flannel, jumping off rope swings, having crazy hockey fans and spending the day lost in thick clouds of marijuana smoke.
But are students at UMaine really engaged in as much pot smoking as the stereotypes have led many to believe?
Public Safety Captain Roland LaCroix said he has seen a rise in marijuana offenses at the university this year.
“We certainly have our share of marijuana incidents,” LaCroix said. “To me, any amount is a problem. I would like to see the numbers decrease.”
More people are willing to take the risk of getting caught in order to smoke marijuana on a somewhat-regular basis.
Tom Smith*, a third-year student at UMaine, began smoking pot his sophomore year out of curiosity.
“I believe in the ‘try anything once’ lifestyle,” Smith said. “How do you know if you don’t like something if you’ve never done it?”
After trying marijuana, Smith said he realized it wasn’t a gateway drug like it had been built up to be, and that it was something he enjoyed.
“Pot is just another way to alter your reality, which can be achieved by other substances that are already legalized,” he said.
Now, Smith smokes a couple times each week as a way to relax with friends and escape from long hours crammed with classes and homework
“It’s a great way to meet new people,” he said. “Not only other smokers, but also people who may not smoke but are still there for the social experience. It’s something I think is very relaxing to do and puts your mind at ease.”
Although marijuana is still illegal in Maine, and even medicinal marijuana is strictly regulated, Smith said he thinks Mainers throughout the state, especially students at UMaine, are growing more accepting of the high percentage of people who do smoke it.
“Marijuana use has definitely seen a rise in Maine and especially in the UMaine community,” Smith said. “I’m not exactly sure why, but I think it has to do with the new laws that are coming up in different states.”
In Maine, a person can be charged with possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia. If a useable amount of the drug is confiscated, the charge a person receives depends on the amount of marijuana they possess.
Possession of less than 2.5 ounces of marijuana is a civil infraction with consequences of up to $600 in fines. Any amount more than 2.5 ounces up to one pound is considered a misdemeanor, punishable of up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine. More than one pound classifies as a Class C felony, resulting in up to five years in jail and up to a $5,000 fine.
Lauri Sidelko, director of the Alcohol and Drug Education Programs at UMaine, said people should be more aware of the consequences they will suffer if caught with marijuana or paraphernalia.
“People can feel as accepting about it as they want to,” Sidelko said, “but the reality is the consequences are huge. So by using a Schedule I drug, it means that you’re going to court, that you have a drug charge on your record.”
Sidelko said she doesn’t think marijuana will be legalized for everyone to use anytime in the near future.
“There is no way to measure it in your system,” she said. “If you’re driving a vehicle under the influence of marijuana and you’re clearly impaired, there’s no way to tell if that’s true or not.”
Sidelko also talked about ADEP’s role on campus. She said the program is not here to tell students what they should and should not do.
“We try to educate and let people know, here are the consequences,” she said. “We want people to make informed choices. I feel like people make far better choices when they know what they’re dealing with.”
Although the punishments can be harsh and the fines can put a person in debt for years, Smith said he is OK with taking the risk and that he is comfortable with the choices he’s made. He also owns a pipe — an item that has become sentimental to him over the past year, but is considered drug paraphernalia.
Among the other concerns about marijuana use is the worry that students will become apathetic toward their schoolwork.
Jackie Adams*, a third-year student who started smoking on a more regular basis this year, said her increased use of the drug has not negatively affected her performance in school. She said if anything, pot has helped get her though her heavy workload.
“This semester has been super stressful for me, and smoking weed has helped relieve that somewhat,” Adams said. “Also, it makes me do my work on time if I reward myself with smoking a bowl after a hard day’s work.”
Sarah Thomas*, a third-year student, disagrees. She said smoking pot was becoming a distraction from school, but was able to address the problem.
“It definitely was affecting my grades and that’s why I don’t smoke as much anymore,” Thomas said. “I know people who are still able to get all their work done and do really well when they’re high all the time, but I’m not one of those people.”
Thomas said she only smokes now when she knows her grades won’t be affected, and doesn’t want to give up marijuana completely.
“This sounds cliché, but it really can be a bonding experience with other people,” she said. “On top of that, I think it encourages people to explore their own minds and look at things from a perspective that they may never have considered before.”
*Names have been changed to protect anonymity.
