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Marijuana remains popular among students

Dylan Tussel, Senior Staff Writer

When it comes to illegal drug abuse on campus, alcohol and marijuana are vastly more prevalent than any other drug.

Three students, who wished to be known as Ryan, Danny and Tyler, have been involved in some way with drugs during their time at Miami University.

The three students said they are always worried about getting caught by the police but laughed at the notion of being caught by a resident assistant (RA).

"(My RA), not so much," Ryan said. "I mean, but at the same time we're cautious, and somebody like (my RA) who we have kind of an unspoken agreement with about this sort of thing … you wouldn't want to betray that trust by being careless."

Students have good reason to be concerned about being caught for having drugs. Students are not even allowed to have any sort of drug paraphernalia, such as a decorative bong, in their dorm rooms, said Chris Taylor, associate director of ethics and student conflict resolution.

"Basically for a first time violation, someone's in possession of marijuana or other drugs, that person is likely to face a drug assessment with someone in the counseling center, a drug education class and typically we will have them write a paper answering the question, ‘What would I do if I were suspended?'" Taylor said.

Taylor said there is a different consequence for distribution than for possession.

"If someone is spreading the problem beyond themselves … that person is probably facing suspension, even for a first time offense, probably for at least a year," Taylor said. "(If they're more) heavily involved in drug distribution, they could even be dismissed from the university."

In addition, RAs are always looking out for the best interest of their residents, but unlike suspected alcohol violations, they will not address students they suspect of smoking marijuana, said Nathaniel Rogers, an RA in Tappan Hall.

"If we walk through the corridor and smell marijuana, we won't even bother knocking (on the resident's door)," Rogers said. "(We will) just call the police right away."

Danny, a sophomore and a habitual marijuana dealer, started helping other marijuana dealers before building his own business.

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"I used to be a middle man … I used to get a big order together, call the dealer and get the stuff," Danny said. "Then I would disperse it. I was being a good friend and being a business partner, and it would get me a discount on my own weed and sometimes even get me free weed."

Danny cited financial obligations as justification for his business.

"I had to make money just to get by so I can pay for everything and not give everything up," Danny said. "I have my own car and credit cards, and I pay them off myself. I tried other things and couldn't find another way."

Danny said a relationship or bond develops between dealers and their customers.

"I know my customers personally," Danny said.

Describing the process of expanding his client base Danny said, "I'm friends with them, and if I'm going to get another customer, it'll be my friends' friends. We'll sit down and talk about it, become friends and then they'll become my customers."

Danny said selling weed is just like any other business, and that it could be compared to a pizza delivery business.

"It's always about the customer," Danny said. "A guy I know called me at 1:30 a.m. the other night and said, ‘Hey, I know it's 1:30 in the morning, but could you help me out?' I said OK, took him to the ATM to get some money, and then we chatted. He said I was his lifelong connection … he would always come to me to get his weed. It's like a pizza business … if you want some pizza at 2 a.m., then you think, ‘Hey, who's open at 2 a.m.? This guy's open at 2 a.m.'"

Danny said he's not harming people's lives but doing them a favor.

"I'm providing something to them that helps them complete their daily routines," Danny said. "They're making their own choices. They need it just like I do, just like anyone that smokes. I'm making it safer for them … I'm someone they know, so they don't have to go to that shady guy outside the convenience store who might lace their stuff."

Suppliers like Danny are not difficult to come by, according to three first-year students.

"If I needed to get some weed, it would probably take me about an hour," Tyler said.

While obtaining weed on campus is an easy task, it is next to impossible to find someone selling hard drugs such as acid and cocaine, Tyler said.

"The thing about hard drugs is that the people who have them are really hard to find, and the people who have them won't have them all the time," Ryan said. "People don't usually know who has them, and when someone does have them, they'll be gone before many people find out about it."