Can You Bring Medical Cannabis to Your College Campus?

Cannabis on campus: it’s more complicated than you think. If you have medical marijuana that you use to treat symptoms of a mental or physical health condition, it’s likely important to you to know where your university stands on the use of this substance. 

Whether you’re set to start university yourself or one of your loved ones is a college student, we’re here to walk you through this complex topic. 

The General Policy for Cannabis on Campuses

First, where do colleges typically stand on cannabis? Although even recreational cannabis is now legal in nearly half of the country, colleges have their own rules and regulations. 

According to NASPA, the Public Law 101-226, or Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (DFSCA) of the Higher Education Act, requires universities that receive federal funding to ban illicit drugs on campus. Marijuana is classified as a Schedule 1 drug under federal law, meaning that it is included under this umbrella of banned drugs. 

As a result, even schools that reside within states that have legalized cannabis usage must ban recreational use on campus.

Understanding Medical Cannabis

On a state or national level, however, medical cannabis is often treated differently than recreational cannabis. 

As explained by the Mayo Clinic, the chemicals within cannabis, including delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), affect mood, thoughts, and behaviors, so they are increasingly utilized to ease medical symptoms. Specifically, medical cannabis is often used to ease nausea, stimulate appetite, and relieve pain.

The conditions that medical cannabis is sometimes used to treat include multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and epilepsy. It is also very commonly used to ease nausea and vomiting that result from chemotherapy. This is only a short list, however. The conditions that medical cannabis may help treat are expansive and constantly changing as practitioners and researchers try new things.  

How Do You Get Medical Marijuana?

In order to get medical cannabis, your doctor must determine that you qualify for the drug. They must then write a statement explaining that you need it for a medical condition or symptoms. If you qualify, you will receive an identification card showing your approved medical cannabis usage, and you will be added to a registry of medical cannabis patients.  

Whether or not your particular condition or symptoms can qualify you for medical cannabis is at the discretion of your individual health provider. Policies surrounding medical cannabis use also vary from state to state, just as recreational cannabis policies do. 

To learn more about accessing medical marijuana, schedule an appointment with one of our providers today. The entire process is quick and easy so you can start receiving the treatment you need.

How Do Medical Marijuana Policies on Campus Differ From Recreational Marijuana Policies? 

So, if medical cannabis is treated differently at a state level from recreational cannabis, does that mean that medical cannabis is acceptable to use on campus even though recreational cannabis is not? 

The answer, like many of the questions surrounding cannabis, is that it depends on the state and the reason for medical cannabis usage. 

According to Digital Democracy, The Compassionate Access to Medical Cannabis Act, or Ryan’s Law, “requires specified types of healthcare facilities to allow a terminally ill patient’s use of medicinal cannabis within the health care facility, as defined, subject to certain restrictions.”

In other words, the act allows terminally ill patients who are prescribed medical cannabis to use their cannabis in healthcare facilities that might otherwise prohibit cannabis. These healthcare facilities do include some facilities on college campuses. 

Similarly, an act in Illinois allows some students with a “debilitating” condition who qualify to use medical cannabis in school. 

The Bottom Line

The answer to whether students can bring medical cannabis to their college campuses is not a simple one. The bottom line, however, is that while students in some specific states can do so under special circumstances, typically, it is not allowed. 

Despite the myriad of symptoms and conditions that doctors may recommend medical cannabis for, the majority of students will unfortunately find that they are not allowed to bring their cannabis to school. Students in certain states with “debilitating” conditions may find leeway, but these are special, more unique circumstances. 

If you or a loved one uses medical cannabis and are concerned about the ability to use medical cannabis while in college, we recommend getting in touch with your health provider and college campus to figure out the best course of action.