Legal Pot on Maine’s College Campuses? Not So Fast

After the recent legalization of recreational marijuana in Maine, one would imagine that college students would be one of the groups celebrating the most. Excess amounts of cheap beer and weak pot are staples of the memories, or lack thereof, that college graduates around the country carry with them into their adult lives. However, the colleges themselves are not warming to Maine's hottest new bit of litigation... At least not yet.

According to WCSH 6, college campuses in Maine will not be going along with the new law. This is because colleges are required to follow federal law, or risk serious consequences. For example, if the University of Maine system changed their policies to allow students to possess and use marijuana on campus, they would risk losing out on $191 Million in federal funding. This would mean cuts to financial aid and work study programs, as well as raising of tuition, which no college student wants to see.

Despite which laws colleges are required to follow, not having legal pot on college campuses makes sense. A good chunk of the student population at any college wouldn't be legally allowed to possess it anyway, as the age required to have it is the same as it is for alcohol: 21. So, until federal law changes, Maine schools will be sticking to pot-free campuses. In the meantime, only students living off-campus can watch Adventure Time at 3:00am and pass out on empty pizza boxes worry-free.... But really, is that so glamorous?