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Issue 15, Volume 85

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‘We’ve done it all’ From lake trips to living together, the Scott Street Specialists grew from a running Twitter joke to a family. | PG. 6

NEWS Bye-bye, Satellite. The dining spot will be razed to make room for a new ‘Auxiliary Retail Center.’ | PG. 2

opinion It’s high time marijuana was decriminalized and legalized in the United States. | PG. 8

2 | Wednesday, November 20, 2019

NEWS ian everett, EDITOR

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The Board of Regents approved shutting down the Satellite, which has suffered significant flooding and water damage in past years. | Trevor Nolley/The Cougar

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Campus

Goodbye, Satellite The underground hotspot housing multiple restaurants, study lounges, a C-Store and a game room is set to be decommissioned April 2020 to make way for a brand new ‘Auxiliary Retail Center.’

Ian Everett

features editor @ianeverettuh

The era of the Student Center Satellite will come to an end next April.

The UH System Board of Regents last Thursday approved to close the Satellite on April 30, 2020 and replace it with a new dining center.

Of course, students may not be surprised by the development, considering the flooding issues and the flurry of new dining options in the last several years — including the food trucks and delivery robots.

Rosie Ashley, program director for Auxiliary Services, confirmed the Satellite is being shut down for these reasons.

“Flooding has impacted the SC Satellite,” Ashley said in an email.

“With this in mind, we believe the SC Satellite location will be the best site for the Auxiliary Retail Center, because the plan is to build above ground.”

A new ‘Food Hall’ The Auxiliary Retail Center will begin construction summer 2020 and will be completed by summer 2022, according to a UH System Board of Regents meeting on Nov. 14.

“The plan is to ultimately fill the Satellite in and put the new center there,” said Jim McShan, senior vice president and senior vice chancellor of administration and finance, at the meeting.

Their vision for the eventual center, which the Auxiliary Services website refers to as

a “Food Hall,” is grand and expansive.

“We’re offering an open floor plan where freshly prepared food is made directly in front of guests,” according to the website’s retail dining vision page. “The UH Food Hall will build on the open floor food hall trend to bring a unique retail environment to campus.”

Other concepts for the retail center include an “action seating” area, where students can watch cooks prepare food, community tables where “students connect with their peers in large groups,” while maximizing seating space and an emphasis on sustainability through the construction and into dining.

“Purchasing decisions, building materials and packaging selections all have a sustainability cause and effect,” the website said. “The story behind all these decisions must be front and center. At the Food Hall, this story will be told in a very public way.”

Ashley said the design process is still in its early stages.

“We are still determining all of the needs for this space,” Ashley said. “We will partner with our Food Service Advisory Committee as continue forward with programming and design.”

The project has a budget of $35 million, approved by the Board of Regents.

Originally, the new retail center was planned to replace the Technology Annex, however, Ashley said that the SC Satellite was deemed a much better

location by campus stakeholders.

No lack of options More construction, Auxiliary Services said, can be expected in that part of campus, which has seen multiple projects in the past year, including Garage 5.

“We expect that construction will affect foot traffic in the area, but it is too early to say how much of an impact it will have,” Ashley said.

The Satellite’s dining options, such as Tandoori Nite, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, will close along with it on Apr. 30.

Students won’t go wanting for food options despite the Satellite’s closure, Ashley said.

There are plans to increase the food truck availability to this part of campus, and a Dunkin’ Donuts will be in Garage 5 by May 2020.

There are also plans to bring a Starbucks into the M.D. Anderson Library, but this project has no concrete timeline, Ashley said.

While Auxiliary Services is planning to support this part of campus more heavily, students may have to hold onto the hope of the new center in the meantime “The Food Hall is a special experience as it puts cooks back in the stations, eliminates machine made food and pulls together all the elements of locality, socialization, technology and worldly culinary experiences that are so important to Gen Z,” according to the Auxiliary Services’ dining vision. news@thedailycougar.com

Wednesday, November 20, 2019 | 3

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academics

Switching majors comes with risks like delayed graduation

UH offers the exploratory studies program, which can help students who haven’t made a decision just yet on their major by introducing them to different colleges and resources. | Donna Keeya/The Cougar

Donna keeya

senior staff writer @donnakeeya_

With the pressure that comes with the college application process, many students feel overwhelmed with all the decisions they have to make along the way.

From what school they want to attend, to what standardized test they wish to take, deciding on a college major is a common cause of stress for many students prior to entering college.

While making the switch can be tough, as some students will attest, UH provides resources like the exploratory studies program to help students find their educational focus, while minimizing delays in graduation.

Exploratory studies At UH, the exploratory studies program is an option for students who haven’t made a decision yet on what major and career field they want to enter.

The exploratory studies office makes an effort to ensure these undecided students avoid taking classes that will later not fit into their degree plan.

“Students who are more certain about their major/ career goals follow courses applicable to those and related

major academic maps so they stay on track for an on-time major change and graduation,” said Executive Director of Communications at the Office of the Provost Brian Waddle in an email.

Through the exploratory studies program, students are provided with resources to better educate them on what different majors consist of in the process of them deciding what they want to major in.

Waddle said exploratory studies students are expected to take the CORE 1101 College Success program, which employs instructors hired from colleges where students have interest.

Finalizing what major to declare can be dependent on potential careers after graduation. Job security, average income and quality of life are some factors students may consider.

Making the switch “I entered UH as a prebusiness major but decided to switch to psychology pre-med at the end of my first semester because of unhappiness with my future, post-graduation,” said supply chain management sophomore Jack Mraz. “Worklife balance is really important

to me, and what I was seeing in business looked unfulfilling and soulless.”

Switching majors at the University varies from college to college. Most majors require an advising appointment and a minimum GPA before students can officially switch.

Additional requirements depend on the specific major and can be found online. For example, a requirement for switching into the digital media degree requires a C or better in DIGM 1350.

“Since I was already unhappy with business and had a few people pushing me towards medicine, I decided to switch,” Mraz said. “For being a lifechanging decision, the process of switching majors is surprisingly anticlimactic. I’m pretty sure I just printed off a form and handed it to an adviser.”

Students may be hesitant to begin college in exploratory studies because they feel it comes with a lack of security compared to majors specific to particular industries.

“I was vaguely aware of exploratory studies when I applied to UH, but I did not consider it to be a realistic option,” Mraz said. “At that point I had already decided

business would be the best fit and medicine wasn’t a serious consideration for me. I think exploratory studies is the right choice for many students, but what I did worked best for me personally.”

While Mraz wasn’t happy as a business major, he was satisfied with the quality of education that came with being a student at the C.T. Bauer College of Business.

“I can’t say I was unhappy with Bauer,” Mraz said. “The advisers in Bauer Honors are outstanding and want nothing but the best for everyone they deal with. I don’t think there’s ever been a moment where I felt my adviser was underequipped to answer my questions or to provide advice.”

Long-term impacts Ultimately, Mraz decided to switch back to business after spending a semester outside of his major. While the majority of his college education was as a business student, Mraz still faces long-term impacts in his graduation date because of his degree change.

“While I came in about a semester ahead, I am now barely on pace to graduate on time,” Mraz said. “As of right now, if I take 15 hours per semester,

major in supply chain and minor in psychology I will graduate at least two classes short of what I need to graduate on time.”

Additional complications that arise after switching majors can cause students to stress more.

The financial costs of paying for courses that will not work toward one’s degree can become an issue for students.

“Degree plans are frustratingly rigid, and summer courses are not an option for me,” Mraz said.

“Taking an extra semester is also out of the question for me because I’m from out of state and at the end of four years I lose my in-state tuition waiver.”

Mraz isn’t sure what his solution will be, but he does have his eyes on extracurricular options for getting experience in his career path.

Waddle said students who aren’t sure of their degree plan would be directed to complete core courses first and save major-specific courses for later on.

“I don’t have anything locked down, but my hope is to get a few internships while I’m here,” Mraz said. “Then hopefully I’ll move into international business in a supply chain position.” news@thedailycougar.com

4 | Wednesday, November 20, 2019

NEWS IaN eVerett, EDITOR

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diNiNG

Cougar Grounds: serving up home away from home, one cup at a time

Cougar Grounds provides a variety of options, including kolaches, danishes, sandwiches and of course coffee, to students traveling near the Hilton and Cougar Villages. | Trevor Nolley/The Cougar

SyDNEy ROSE

SeNIOr Staff WrIter @SYDNeYrOSe1029

Inside of Cougar Grounds, the smell of nutmeg and roasted coffee beans welcomes students to enjoy a cup of joe.

Just as welcoming as the coffee are the student employees who serve it.

Cougar Grounds is attached to the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management and is a common place of employment for hotel and restaurant management students.

“I started working here because I love coffee, and I feel like this is the best coffee on campus,” said HRM junior Vicky Avetisyan. “And I like the atmosphere here too, like it’s very homey.”

Avetisyan has worked at Cougar Grounds for two and a half years, and has loved her experience there.

“This is the best first job I could ever ask for,” Avetisyan said. “I love it, I would not be here for two and a half years if I

didn’t love it.”

Avetisyan said a typical day for a Cougar Grounds employee consists of a few different tasks including taking orders, customer service, making coffee and cleaning up at the end of the day.

They also keep track of drink trends such as popular seasonal flavors.

Last month, Cougar Grounds was offering their own version of a pumpkin spice latte.

“I always drink an almond milk latte, hot or iced, and it’s my favorite thing to make, I love practicing latte art,” said HRM sophomore Wen Wang, who works at the coffee shop.

The workers aren’t required to learn how to do latte art to work at Cougar Grounds, Wang said.

However, herself and others practice on their own and learn the art by making a lot of drinks.

Wang said one of her favorite work memories at Cougar Grounds was practicing the latte art with her friends and coworkers when the shop wasn’t as busy.

She started working at Cougar Grounds a year ago because one of her friends applied, and she saw it as a great opportunity.

“We serve everything and we do everything that other coffee shops do,” Wang said. “I’m not going to say it’s easier or harder because it’s the same amount of work.”

HRM sophomore Carlee Grimes also applied for the job because of encouragement from her peers, and she has been grateful for the opportunity ever since.

“My friends told me that I should apply because it’s really easy to work with my schedule, and I’m so glad I did because I have so much fun doing it.”

Grimes said.

Grimes has worked at Cougar Grounds since the beginning of the fall semester, and said her work schedule balances well with her school schedule.

Her hours are flexible, and she has enough time after her shifts to study.

“Our hours don’t run into the evening, so you don’t lose that

time in the evening to do your homework,” Grimes said. “It’s very flexible, if I have a fourhour gap between classes, that’s when I’ll work.”

Grimes said she enjoys working at both of the shop’s locations: the main location at the Hilton College and the other as a part of the College of Optometry.

“You kind of get a different atmosphere depending on which one you work at that day,” Grimes said. “It’s all good experience and all good practice for somebody in a hospitality major to interact with customers.”

Wang said while most of the workers come from the Hilton College, the coffee shop is open to hiring other majors.

“It’s a small college, so everyone already knew each other,” Wang said. “Working here is like working in a small friend group. I really enjoy working with my co-workers.” news@thedailycougar.com

Learn how to run a student government campaign

When: Wednesday, 11.20.19 7:00 - 9:00 P.M. Where: Senate Chamber Student Center North Second Floor Interested in learning how to run a student campaign?

Learn effective marketing strategies, how to organize a campaign, how to reach out to students, and more!

Hosted by former SGa president and current attorney General Cameron barrett and Chief election Commissioner beka Harricharran.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019 | 5

jHaIr rOMerO, EDITOR

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SportS

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VollEyball

Cougars head to aaC Championship tournament despite end-of-season blues ANDy yANEz

SeNIOr Staff WrIter @aYaNez_5

Houston’s regular season ended in a sweep by SMU, but the attention now turns to Tulane for the inaugural American Athletic Conference Championship Tournament that starts Friday night in Orlando, Florida.

Houston finished the season with a 10-6 record in the AAC. This is the first time the team has finished above .500 against the AAC since 2013.

“I think it’s more of a testament to our players and the type of people they are,” said head coach David Rehr. “They’ve really taken the time that it requires to buy into a new system because they wanted to change the culture, and this is something they can be proud of.”

The 2019 season can be summarized by one word for Houston: persistence.

The Cougars found themselves in 13 full five-set matches throughout the season, which led the nation, and they won eight of them.

“I don’t know what they’re built with,” Rehr said, proud of his team after a comeback win against ECU back in October. “I don’t know what the team has inside of them because there’s an automatic out where you can quit and lose the game and move on,

but they just won’t let it happen, and I am proud of them for that.”

Houston has had leaders all over the team, but five players have been consistently ahead of the pack all season long.

Senior libero Katie Karbo has been a monster on the defensive side of the ball for Houston. She finished the season with 670 digs, which was second-most in the AAC. Freshman middle blocker Rachel Tullos was also dominant on defense for the Cougars in 2019, as she was Houston’s leader in blocks with 171.

The Lantana-raised middle blocker’s best performance came against Cincinnati in October when she set an AAC record with 17 blocks in one game.

Senior right setter Megan Duncan and freshman outside hitter Abbie Jackson have led the Cougars in kills with 345 and 297, respectively.

Junior setter Abby Irvine was a master at setting up her teammates all season long. She finished with 908 assists, which was also the sixth-most in the conference.

The Cougars began conference play with a seven-game winning streak, five of which were fiveset wins. Two came against Tulane and SMU, who both won double-digit games against AAC competition.

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Houston will take on Tulane in the American Athletic Conference Tournament in Florida. | Trevor Nolley/The Cougar

Despite the strong start, Houston struggled to close out the season with the same amount of success they had in the first seven games, as they lost six of the final nine matchups.

Living on edge The Cougars faced a match deficit in 12 of their 16 games against other AAC teams, including 2-0 holes against SMU twice, UConn and UCF. Houston was able to rally in six of those 12 games from the set deficits, but most came in the first half of the AAC season, and Houston was unable to keep the magic going after its first loss to Cincinnati.

“I think we need to be more consistent on the defensive end,” Rehr said. “We’ve relied on our defense the entire season to be the spark plug for us, and

whenever we’ve played defense at the level we are capable of, we’ve had success.”

Previewing Tulane The Cougars and the Green Wave split their two meetings this season with each team winning on the road.

Houston overcame a 2-1 set deficit Oct. 4 to win the match in New Orleans 3-2.

Both Irvine, with 23 assists and 14 digs, and sophomore setter Kelsey Childers, with 22 assists and 13 digs, highlighted the night with double-doubles in the game.

Tulane won the match 3-1 on Nov. 8. Karbo starred for the Cougars in the loss with 29 digs.

The Green Wave has stars of their own. Junior outside hitter Lexie Douglas leads the team in kills with 336. Sophomore setter Amanda Giardina leads in assists

with 552.

Senior libero Kaylie McHugh leads the team with 516 digs, and sophomore middle hitter Kayla Dinkins leads the Green Wave in blocks with 162.

Should the Cougars advance, the road ahead won’t be easy.

“Tulane will certainly be a challenge for us,” Rehr said. “The fact that we’ve played nine sets in our two matches with them shows how comparable our teams are, especially when you consider how three of the four sets were won by four or less points when they came to our place.

“I know they lost their final match of the regular season, but before that they had won their previous four, so overall, they are coming in on a bit of a hot streak.” sports@thedailycougar.com

6 | Wednesday, November 20, 2019

SportS jHaIr rOMerO, EDITOR

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‘Family’ Football

The Scott Street Specialists began as a running Twitter joke for the Cougars, but it hasn’t stopped Houston’s ragtag special teams unit who have ‘done it all’ from becoming the closest group on the team.

When former long snapper Byron Simpson medically retired from football in 2017, he left one mission for then-sophomore punter Dane Roy — continue leading the Scott Street Specialists.

The group and Twitter account, founded in April 2015 by Simpson as @UH_Specialists, began as a means to promote and unite Houston’s special teams, a unit mostly neglected by the everyday football fan.

“We don’t get a lot of game time,” Roy, now a senior, said.

“Therefore, no one really sees us.

It’s kind of a lighthearted jab of life as a student athlete.”

Since then, the Scott Street Specialists, an eclectic group made up of Roy, junior kicker Dalton Witherspoon, senior long snappers Nick Wildberger and Anthony Cantu and others, has grown to encapsulate much more than just a running social media joke.

Bigger than Twitter Although the Scott Street Specialists enjoy messing around on their Twitter account, such as when Wildberger successfully attempted the bottle cap challenge via long snap, the group values time spent in person.

“We’re together almost all the time,” Witherspoon said. “You’re around them so much, and you talk to them all the time. It just

builds that relationship with everybody.”

Roy said bonding is important for the group of teammates and friends. They live together, celebrate wins and go on lake trips with eachother.

“You obviously want to have fun with each other,” he said, reflecting on the time they’ve spent together over the past four years. “We’re big on family and big on being friends.”

Their relationship comes despite the drastically different lives led by those a part of the Scott Street Specialists.

Roy, a 30-year-old former ice cream salesman who found his way to Houston after some time in the Australian Football League, is one of the biggest oddballs.

Much to Witherspoon’s delight, the team has been shocked with the Scott Street Specialists’ connection.

“They’re all pretty surprised that we’re so close,” he said, “especially with Dane being 30 years old and hanging around a bunch of us.”

Special teams coordinator Blake Gideon is happy with his diverse unit’s camaraderie.

“They’ve all got some different views on things, and that’s what I think makes that room so much closer and more special than a lot of rooms I’ve been involved with,” he said. “They’ve all got enough of a sense of humor, nobody gets butthurt.”

Roy agrees.

Roy has been at UH since 2016, and the 30-year-old Australian naturally became the leader of the Scott Street Specialists. | Trevor Nolley/The Cougar

Junior kicker Dalton Witherspoon and senior punter Dane Roy, along with other special teams players, have become close on and off the field over their years of playing together, even spending time off the field as friends. | katrina Martinez/The Cougar

“We’re all pretty close,” he said.

“We’ve done it all.”

And it shows on the gridiron.

On-field translation In a 2019 season where the Cougars have struggled to keep up with opponents on offense and defense, special teams have shined.

“These units have experienced some success this year,” Gideon said. “We found the end zone a few times on coverage units, we’ve got our hands on some balls and we’ve garnered some pretty good net yardage on punt.”

Roy and his right leg brought much of the success.

After breaking a nearly 71-yearold school record with a 54-yard punt average against Cincinnati, Roy earned praise from head coach Dana Holgorsen.

“Dane is our best player,” he said after the loss. “He’s as good as I’ve been around.”

The Aussie has continued putting up impressive numbers since, averaging 47-plus yards in games against UConn, UCF and Memphis.

Of his 16 punts over the three matchups, seven were downed inside the 20, six went for at least 50 yards and none resulted in touchbacks.

Witherspoon has also performed well this season.

In Houston’s win over Prairie View A&M, the Moore, Oklahoma, native booted a career-high three field goals.

He has since matched it thrice, first against the Tulane Green Wave and twice more against the Mustangs and the Knights.

“He doesn’t get too high, and he doesn’t get too low,” Gideon said. “That’s what allows him to experience the consistency

he has this season.”

As for Wildberger, his name does not come up in media coverage of the Cougars, and that’s a positive for Gideon because “that means he’s doing his job.”

“Nobody knows his name,” he said. “If those guys are known, it’s usually for a bad reason. If that guy goes completely unnoticed, it’s a good thing.”

One special teams member has come up more and more, however — freshman kicker Kyle Ramsey.

New faces The Scott Street Specialists adopted Ramsey and freshman long snapper Davis Beal as their newest members.

“It helps the younger guys,” Dalton said of the role the special teams group plays for freshmen. “Being able to have that family environment where you can go and ask anything is just really helpful.”

Ka trin aM art ine z/T he Co uga r

JHAIR ROMERO

SpOrtS eDItOr @jUStjHaIr

Ramsey, a 6-foot-3inch former soccer player, has quickly

transitioned to be Houston’s main kickoff guy, a position he has excelled in so far.

“His job is to kick touchbacks,” Roy said. “When he does that, you see the emotion and energy on the sideline for him performing at his best.”

Of the 48 kickoffs Ramsey has on the year, 22 were touchbacks, which is not bad for a young leg.

For Gideon, who admits he has “lit into Kyle a couple times this season for different things,” Ramsey is a potential special teams leader.

“He welcomed the coaching and instruction,” Gideon said.

“He’s not an emotional guy, which is really what I’m looking for in those specialist positions.”

With Roy, Witherspoon and the others leaving within the next year and a half, Ramsey could very well be the next to step up as head of the Scott Street Specialists.

Parting ways Just like one of Roy’s punts, what goes up must

come down.

The bulk of the group will separate once the academic year ends.

Wildberger and Cantu will graduate, and Roy will soon return to Australia, where he would “like to go home, get married and have a family.”

But Gideon is confident the Scott Street Specialists will remain friends.

“You can tell that they love one another,” he said. “They love being around one another, and that’s what makes that room so special.” sports@thedailycougar.com

Wednesday, November 20, 2019 | 7

jhair romero, EDITOR

Volleyball

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Sports

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Karbo sets all-time AAC digs record

Senior libero Katie Karbo set the new AAC all-time digs record on Sunday after recording 15 in UH’s loss to SMU. She heads into The American postseason with 2,389 career digs. | Trevor Nolley/The Cougar

soccer

Commentary: UH athletics, Bocanegra wrong despite rhabdo investigation findings

Head coach Diego Bocanegra just finished his third season at UH. | File photo

katrina martinez

assistant sports editor @katrinamtz124

Following a lengthy investigation regarding several rhabdomyolysis diagnoses in Houston soccer players, the Board of Regents finally released the results from their internal audit Nov. 14, which reviewed two claims of “punishment workouts.”

The incidents resulted in the termination of former strength coach Minor Bowens in February, but head coach Diego Bocanegra remains unpunished for what transpired on his field.

Bocanegra is head of the soccer

coaching staff. He is meant to serve as a mentor to his student athletes and should also advocate for their overall health and well-being.

Regardless of whether or not he instructed the team to complete these workouts, he remains an accomplice to endangering the students’ health and safety, and he should be punished as such. He stood by and let it happen.

Where the story begins A light was shed on this issue in June when an anonymous UH soccer player appeared on KPRC and recounted the February 2018 workout that resulted in the five-

day hospitalization of a student athlete.

The anonymous student described the workouts as “torture almost” to reporter Mario Diaz.

The team was forced to do roughly 250-300 up-downs followed by planks and shuttle run drills, which was a punishment for the actions of two players, according to the anonymous student.

Their crime? Eating food designated for the UH football team.

While the student athletes struggled to keep going, the coaching staff allegedly screamed obscenities at the players. “ ‘Get the f--- up,’ ” the coaches said, according to the anonymous student.

More of the first, but worse Unfortunately, the February 2018 workout was not an isolated incident.

During its first practice back from winter break this January, the soccer team was forced to endure another intense workout.

This resulted in a total of 15 student athletes being treated for rhabdomyolysis a few days after

their practice, and it garnered much attention from local media.

Bocanegra ‘acted appropriately,’ but not really The audit confirms much of what the anonymous student claimed during her interview, but it neglects to identify any true blame for the first incident.

Instead, it points to the fact that UH didn’t have a policy in place to prohibit “punishment workouts.”

It does, however, say the February 2018 “punishment workout” was excessive and should have been stopped by Bocanegra.

As for the January 2019 workout, Bowens accepted the responsibility and was fired for his role in what happened, but again, the report said the workout should have been stopped.

It goes on to say the workout was too extreme for a first practice after a break, which is the product of poor coaching.

Policy trumps ethics Bocanegra still holds his position as head coach, and this proves UH isn’t as truly invested in the safety of its student athletes as it claims to be.

Both incidents should and could have been stopped by Bocanegra.

His negligence resulted in the harm of student athletes on two separate occasions, both of which could have been avoided and have gone unpunished.

While the report claims Bocanegra “acted appropriately,” common sense says his inaction directly affected the outcome of these workouts.

As a leader, it is his responsibility to ensure the safety of the players, and by neglecting that responsibility, he put the student athletes’ health at risk.

If UH athletics wants to take a stance and demonstrate its dedication to mental and physical health, its first move should be to remove Bocanegra from the soccer coaching staff.

No student should be fearful of those who are meant to lead them.

Despite University policy, the UH soccer handbook or any law, Bocanegra was ethically wrong to let the February 2018 and January 2019 workouts take place, and UH athletics is ethically wrong to allow him the opportunity to do it again. sports@thedailycougar.com

8 | Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Opinion Maryam baldawi, EDITOR

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OPINION@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

state

Marijuana should be decriminalized and legalized in states Editorial Board editor in chief

Michael Slaten managing editor

Morgan Horst

creative director

Jiselle Santos News editor

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Staff editorial The Staff Editorial reflects the opinions of The Cougar Editorial Board (the members of which are listed above the editorial). All other opinions, commentaries and cartoons reflect only the opinion of the author. Opinions expressed in The Cougar do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Houston or the students as a whole.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The decriminalization and legalization of marijuana should be a state issue, as it can benefit many people. | Courtesy of Neeta Lind via WikiCommons

Chelsea dalton pederson

guest columnist

Texas is one of 21 states to report vaping-related deaths in the past few months, yet across college campuses, you may hear, “Are you risking it?”

The recent vaping-related deaths are the first accounts linking vaping to marijuana consumption. As reports of these deaths emerge, the importance of quality control should be at the forefront of conversations with the realization that prohibition is the cause of death.

While CBD, hemp and marijuana laws are coming into question, Houstonians must address decriminalization and legalization.

The decriminalization and legalization of cannabis would allow states to regulate the quality of cannabis.

Synthetic marijuana, for instance, burdens Houston Fire Department’s Emergency Medical Services because of its revolving door of chemical composition, accessibility and the relatively low cost.

Houston must take action to prove that decriminalization

works in order to initiate the legalization of cannabis.

Making cannabis legal can benefit Texas farmers, minority communities, consumers, local head shops and future medical dispensaries across the state.

If local and state officials continue to ban together, Texas holds the power to assist in the de-scheduling of cannabis on federal levels, giving states more control.

As Houston continues to modify local ordinances and criminal justice practices, the city must focus on safety relating to drugged driving, if anything, rather than consumption or possession of cannabis.

The redefinition of cannabis in Texas and Houston’s Misdemeanor Marijuana Diversion Program is a beneficial effort in decriminalization, but it is time to truly focus on public safety.

On June 10, Gov. Greg Abbott blurred the lines of cannabis use in Texas by redefining marijuana as any cannabis substance with over 0.3 percent THC concentrate, the psychoactive chemical in the

cannabis plant.

The reason you’ll often hear the terms CBD, hemp and marijuana interchangeably is that hemp and marijuana are species of cannabis plants that contain CBD, among other substances.

This redefinition of 0.3 percent THC as the distinguishing factor between hemp and marijuana has caused strife around local laws that prosecute low-level marijuana charges across the state.

Many Texas crime labs do not have the equipment to distinguish the THC percentages between legal industrial hemp and illegal marijuana, which is mandatory for prosecution.

Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg voiced her opinion against spending her office’s resources, in the tune of $28 million, on prosecuting low-level marijuana cases.

In 2017, Ogg implemented a pre-charge diversion program to keep nonviolent misdemeanor marijuana arrests away from courts as well as reduced penalties for possession across

Harris County.

The Misdemeanor Marijuana Diversion Program offers a 90-day window to complete a four-hour educational course to eliminate jail time and the lifealtering impact of the criminal label.

Our state and city have provided avenues to initiate the decriminalization and legalization of cannabis, saving 10,000 Houstonians a year from convictions, fines or mandated programs. Now, it is up to us to become more politically engaged.

As state elections conclude and primary elections begin, I encourage Houstonians to take action by aligning with organizations such as Foundation for an Informed Texas, Texas NORML, Republicans Against Marijuana Prohibition or Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy.

The decriminalization and legalization of cannabis depend upon who you vote into office.

Chelsea Dalton Pederson is a social work graduate student and can be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com

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