OHIO shares reminder regarding Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act

Last November, Ohio voters passed Issue 2, which legalized the possession and use of marijuana for people aged 21 and older in Ohio. The state of Ohio had previously legalized medical marijuana in 2016.

While both medical and recreational marijuana are now legalized under Ohio law, they remain illegal under federal law. Further, the federal Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act requires Ohio University to establish and maintain policies that address unlawful possession, use, or distribution of alcohol, illicit drugs and controlled substances as part of its responsibility to maintain a drug-free community. 

Under federal law, cannabis is still considered a controlled substance; therefore, the use or storage of medical and/or recreational marijuana by students, faculty, staff and visitors remains prohibited: 

• On all property or buildings, including residence halls, owned, leased, operated, controlled or managed by Ohio University, including all regional and extension campuses, regardless of their location.
• During all University-sponsored activities and programs, both on-campus and off-campus, under any circumstances.

Details regarding OHIO’s drug and alcohol policies are available online. Please visit the Office of Community Standards and Student Responsibility website to review the University’s Student Code of Conduct and view a list of frequently asked questions related to Issue 2’s impact on public institutions like OHIO.