Volume 37 - Issue 8
Friday, April 26, 2013
A National Blue Ribbon School
Public opinion sways legislation, marijuana bills pass
By Sonia Shekar Lara Fu Senior Writers
Pot. Weed. Mary Jane. Herb. Bud. Nug. Whatever name you know marijuana by, laws regarding its use in the state of Maryland may be changing soon. The Maryland House of Representatives and Senate are currently debating on two issues regarding marijuana: legalizing its use for medical purposes and decriminalizing possession of fewer than ten grams of it. The Senate approved the House’s medical marijuana bill April 8, 424, and it will now go to Governor Martin O’Malley to be approved or vetoed. Senate Majority Leader Rob Garagiola (D) voted for House Bill 180 (HB 180), as the medical marijuana bill is formally known, because he believes medical marijuana has proven to be effective. “Studies overwhelmingly indicate the effectiveness of marijuana in alleviating symptoms associated with chronic illness,” Garagiola’s legislative aide Allan Thorson said. “Senator Garagiola feels that HB 180 will effectively alleviate the fear of prosecution for a caregiver who is in possession of marijuana on behalf of an individual with a debilitating medical condition.” According to a March 25 Washington Post article, while HB 180 legalizes the use of medical marijuana, the marijuana will at first only be distributed to a few academic
medical centers. The earliest these centers would be able to distribute medical marijuana is most likely 2016, if O’Malley signs the bill into law. According to the article, several academic centers, including the University of Maryland Medical System and Johns Hopkins University, do not want to be involved in the distribution of marijuana, as it still violates federal law. However, according to Michelle Bernstein, legislative director for Delegate Dan Morhaim, Sinai Hospital in Baltimore “submitted a written letter saying they would possibly be interested in participating in a medical marijuana program.” According to a medical marijuana information packet Morhaim prepared in 2012, HB 180 includes the creation of a network of state-sanctioned dispensaries and growers that would work with medical centers to distribute medical marijuana and collect data. Morhaim, the sponsor of HB 180 and only medical doctor in the legislature, believes that this will be effective in providing safeguards against abuse, according to Bernstein. The second bill under consideration is Senate Bill 297 (SB 297), which seeks to decriminalize possession of ten grams or less of marijuana, reducing the offense from criminal to civil. This would change the current punishment of up to 90 days in jail and a fine of $500 to a maximum fine of $100 and no jail time. The bill passed in the
Senate March 19, 30-16. According to an April 8 Potomac Patch article, as of that date, the House Judiciary Committee has not yet voted in favor of it. Garagiola also supports Senate Bill 297 and believes it will benefit Maryland in the long run. “Senator Garagiola feels that possession of small amounts of marijuana is typically a victimless crime,” Thorson said. “It is also more cost-effective to treat possession of small amounts of marijuana as a civil offense rather than a criminal misdemeanor, given that the state does not have to pay for the incarceration of defendants.” The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) is an organization founded in 1995, and its primary goal is to reduce regulations and support both medical and non-medical use of marijuana. MPP lobbies for support of bills such as the ones currently being considered in Maryland. According to a 2012 NIH study featured on the MPP website, the decriminalization of illicit drugs is not directly related to an increase in drug use among adolescents between the ages of 15 and 24. This study challenges the concern that the legalization of medical marijuana will increase recreational marijuana use, especially among teenagers. According to junior Tim Cheng, “recreational use won’t change” among students because it will still be illegal under federal law.
In order to better educate adolescents and parents about marijuana following looser regulations in many states, the MPP proposes introducing a marijuana education program. “Honest drug education with an emphasis on relative safety and harm reduction will benefit social efforts to curb drug use far more than policies which allow alcohol but not marijuana when the latter is demonstrably safer,” MPP Communications Manager Morgan Fox said. According to Delegate Morhaim’s medical marijuana information packet, a Gonzales Research poll conducted in January 2012 revealed that 63 percent of Maryland voters favor legalizing medical marijuana. Marijuana reforms are gaining support across the country, and changes to current law are undoubtedly soon to come.
college, people as that level is possible different. At to take Dartmouth at least they must one AP h a v e class and wanted the pass the kids to go test with through a three the basics or above. again before That is they jump pressuring into more a lot of difficult students PHOTO BY EMILIE PLESSET. chemistry t h a t Students labor overAPs that may not count in the future. wouldn’t classes.” According to Donna Hamilton, the normally take AP classes to enroll in Associate Provost and Dean for under- AP classes which eventually results in graduate Studies at the University the class not being as rigorous or of Maryland (UMD), each academic lots of students getting Cs or department at the university reviews below.” the AP exams and determines whether While students may find it the test is equivalent to their UMD more difficult to earn college course, which scores will be accepted, credit through the AP, many and how the credit will be used. colleges still want to see “I have no doubt that AP classes students challenging themselves at CHS are rigorous,” AP Literature by taking AP courses in high and Composition teacher Haroot school. Additionally, many Hakopian said. “But MCPS has schools still use AP exam scores an initiative where they want as many to allow students to be placed in
higher-level classes. “The AP exams challenge students to see how they perform based on what they absorbed all throughout the year,” Boppana said. “Taking those risks and challenging themselves to that extent is a good thing.” Students who score well on AP exams are able to gain college credit and save money on college tuition by securing enough credit to graduate early. “The exam itself has always been pitched as a way to save money on college credits,”Hakopian said. “You pay $89 and you can use that if you score high enough to take the place of a college credit class which could cost about $1,000 to $11,000.” According to CHS College Information Coordinator Luana Zimmerman, all students enrolled in an AP class are expected to take the exam. Students who decline to take the AP exam must sign a contract stating that they will instead take a final exam, which is usually an AP exam from a previous year.
37% 63%
Source: Gonzales Research Poll
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PHOTO BY BEN SCHICK.
Colleges have become increasingly stringent in their acceptance of AP exam scores for college credit. Many top-ranked universities are now only accepting a score of either a four or five on an AP exam, if at all. Dartmouth College recently announced that beginning in Fall 2014 it will not accept any AP or IB exam scores for college credit. According to a January New York Times article, Dartmouth gave a Psych One final exam to incoming students who earned a five on the AP Psychology exam. However, despite doing well on the AP exam, only 10 percent of the students passed the test. Some colleges may not accept AP credit for certain AP courses because they may find that these classes are not fully comparable to their entry level courses in a particular subject. “AP Chemistry covers all the basics of General Chemistry and that to me is a foundation to take higher level chemistry classes in college,” AP Chemistry teacher Jodi Boppana said. “Depending on the
PHOTO BY JULIA REAGAN.
By Emilie Plesset Senior Writer
D&A SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT GROUP.
Colleges less likely to give credit for APs