Initiated Measure 26 be darned: even if the doctor says marijuana is good for what ails you, the Board of Regents won’t let you eat your therapeutic brownies on campus in South Dakota:
South Dakota’s public universities won’t allow medical marijuana use on campuses or at university-sponsored events, the state Board of Regents decided Wednesday.
The reason: Marijuana remains illegal under federal law and universities would potentially lose federal funds.
Regents’ legal counsel Nathan Lukkes said the universities would be in violation of the drug-free schools act and the drug-free workplace act.
“From a black and while letter of the law standpoint, it is what it is,” he said [Bob Mercer, “S.D. Universities Will Stay Marijuana-Free, Regardless of Medical Marijuana Program,” KELO-TV, 2021.06.23].
Medical marijuana cardholders can still take their cannabis prescriptions at home, but they better not be loopy when they get to campus:
When reporting to work, employees must not be impaired or otherwise unable to perform their work duties. Likewise, students attending class or participating in activities may not be impaired or otherwise disrupt academic or campus activities as a result of their off-campus medical marijuana use. Employees and students who violate those restrictions are subject to disciplinary action, the policy states [South Dakota Board of Regents, press release, 2021.06.23].
The Regents are cutting some slack for medical marijuana users. The BOR policy revisions include adding medical cannabis cardholder status to the conditions that can qualify a student for a waiver from the requirement that students live on campus for the their first two years.