Puff, puff, but don’t pass.

In August, Gov. Pat Quinn signed the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act, making Illinois the 20th state to legalize medical marijuana, effective Jan. 1, 2014. However, the state has some of the strictest regulations.

According to section 10 of the act, patients will be allowed to be in possession of 2.5 ounces of cannabis every two weeks, which can only be purchased from a cultivation center that has been registered with the Department of Agriculture.

Patients will not be allowed to be in possession in a private residence that is also used for child care, are not allowed to use in the presence of a child or anyone under 18 years of age and are not to perform any activity under the influence that would constitute negligence or malpractice, per section 30. Sharing and unauthorized selling are also illegal.

The approximately 40 debilitating medical conditions that qualify for medical marijuana use include cancer, HIV, AIDS, Crohn’s disease, agitation of Alzheimer’s, muscular dystrophy and severe fibromyalgia, among others.

The program will be on a trial basis for four years with many of the rules and dispensaries yet to be determined.

However, the legalization of medical marijuana has not impacted the regulations for DePaul students.

“It’s extremely important for students to understand that they will not be allowed to use medical marijuana on campus,” said Rebecca Aronson, alcohol and substance abuse prevention specialist from the Office of Health Promotion and Wellness.

Under the Smoke Free Illinois Act, smoking is prohibited in all campus buildings. Furthermore, DePaul University must also adhere to the federal Drug Free Schools and Communities Act and the Drug Free Workplace Act-both of which prohibit any drug use on college campuses, Aronson added.

For the first time in history, Americans favor legalizing marijuana. According to a recent Gallup poll, 58 percent of Americans are in favor of legalizing marijuana. This comes only a year after Washington and Colorado became the first to legalize recreational marijuana.

When asked if medical marijuana should be smoked on campus, Christina Brown, a second year graduate student in journalism, was against it.

“No, because it’s a religious school and they need to uphold religious rules and standards,” Brown said. “The state can do that but the campus has its own standards. Just because it’s legal doesn’t mean that it’s their culture.”

“I can see the problems it would present in a dorm setting with people sharing,” said Emily O’Reilly, a freshman environmental science major.

Brown, who supports marijuana’s complete legalization, was able to see the law in practice while on a trip.

“I visited my friend in California and it seems like a completely different culture,” Brown said. “Everything is more chill, more relaxed.”

California was the first state to legalize medical marijuana in 1996.

Morgan Nathan, a freshman business major, supports legalization due to its possible economic impact.

“Legalization is a good idea from a business standpoint,” said Nathan. “It should all be legal because you can tax it. All around, I agree with it because of what it could do for the economy.”

However, Leo Lee, a second year accounting student, is not on board with total legalization.

“People are abusing it,” Lee said. “Students cannot control themselves.”