On July 1, 2021, the Commonwealth of Virginia made the recreational use of marijuana (cannabis) legal.
For detailed information regarding specifics on what is now legal and illegal regarding marijuana in Virginia, please visit the following website: https://www.cannabis.virginia.gov/
Despite Virginia legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, Shenandoah University (SU) will continue to prohibit the possession, use, distribution, sharing, manufacturing, and selling of marijuana (cannabis) at all SU locations. This also includes marijuana (cannabis) of any kind and in any form. Marijuana paraphernalia is also prohibited at all SU locations. Please know that despite a student having a medical marijuana card, the use/possession of marijuana at any SU location is still prohibited.
The federal government still considers marijuana to be an illicit drug. SU must abide by federal laws, including the Drug-Free Workplace Act and the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act. If we fail to comply, SU could lose its eligibility for federal funding, including student financial aid programs.
Regarding off-campus possession and/or use, SU will no longer consider the off-campus use/possession of marijuana in compliance with Virginia law to be a violation of university policy. It is against Virginia law for those under age 21 to use or possess marijuana. SU will hold students responsible if they fail to maintain good conduct on or off-campus, this includes abiding by the new Virginia law regarding marijuana.
Violations of SU’s illegal drug policy (which still includes marijuana/cannabis) will be referred through the student conduct process. For additional information on policies and the student conduct process please refer to the university’s online catalog, specifically the non-academic policies section and the student affairs policy section.
For questions and or concerns, please contact the Director of Student Conduct and Community Standards Matthew Coats at 540-535-3502 or mcoats@su.edu.
