A resounding 65 percent of students voted to loosen the punishments for marijuana use among students in the non-binding referendum added to this year’s ballot.

It is now in the SGA’s hands to convince administrators to equalize the current marijuana punishments with those for alcohol violations. Vice President for Student Affairs Linda Clement said the administration – which holds ultimate power in the decision – will strongly consider students’ vote as they weigh it against the potential dangers drugs pose to the campus community.

“When you have anything involving marijuana, other drugs become involved, and that brings drug dealers and criminals, so it’s not a simple matter,” she said. “The campus’ leadership has recognition that with drugs come a lot of problems, with drugs comes a criminal element to campus.”

Clement said it is now up to students to propose a drug policy change to the executive committee of the University Senate, which is exactly what next year’s National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws Terps president Matt Zernhelt and Students for Sensible Drug Policy leader Stacia Cosner, both freshmen, intend to do.

“We are feeling very good,” said Damien Nichols, current leader of SSDP that lobbied for the referendum. “Even though we still have an uphill struggle remaining, the taste of victory tastes very sweet.”

The current drug policy has been in effect since basketball star Len Bias died of a cocaine overdose in Washington Hall in 1986.

Nichols, along with Victor Pinho, the current president of NORML Terps and SGA legislator Chris Biggs, suggested laxening the drug policy in conjunction in February. Last month, the SGA voted to put the proposal on the election ballots in the form of a referendum as a way to gauge student opinion on the issue.

Of the 5,256 students who voted in the election, 4,376 students voted either for or against the referendum. Nichols and Pinho, both graduating seniors, said the next steps of the marijuana issue are in the hands of next year’s SGA and the new leaders of NORML Terps and SSDP.

“The issue is now in the hands of the next generation of students, and the movement is now bigger and stronger,” Pinho said.

Pinho and Nichols were excited that Emma Simson was elected next year’s SGA president because they said she has been a strong supporter of their cause from the beginning.

Simson said the resounding “yes” from students regarding the proposal means she can start working with the groups on a proposal to bring to the administration.

“This exactly what we wanted,” Zernhelt said. “The students are in control. They have spoken, and there is no reason for them to keep getting arrested.”

Contact reporter Kelly Whittaker at whittakerdbk@gmail.com.