TAMUCC educates students on marijuana

By Danielle St. Marie

Legalization laws for marijuana are changing around the country. Following the recent election, 7 states have now legalized the drug completely. Yet, under the Obama administration, marijuana remains in the category for quote "the most dangerous drugs.
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Texas A&M Corpus Christi held a cannabis educational summit where various community members spoke about effects, legal framework, trafficking and the local impact on the community.

Claudia Ayala, the Assistant Director of TAMUCC counseling, says that the goal of this event is to correct some of the misconceptions about marijuana use.

Organizers say events like this are important in order to educate students on actual facts of the drug, especially as legalization laws continue to change in the United States.

District Attorney Mark Skurka was one of the speakers at the event. He says the use of marijuana is a re-occurring problem in Nueces County.

Although for first time users that get caught, there are several divergent programs to get them out of the criminal justice system. "They can do some type of probationary term and if they finish it completely, they can have their case dismissed," Skurka said.

Several students attended the event today and many of them say they believe it should be decriminalized. "I don't think it's anywhere as dangerous as alcohol is. You don't see people overdosing on weed and crashing cars and killing people," Sophomore Lauren Brangers said.

"I think Texas may move towards the decriminalization of marijuana, making it a lower offense or lower penalty, but I don't think they're heading towards legalization of marijuana," Skurka said.