A new ordinance in Chicago that took effect Aug. 4 reduced the punishment for marijuana possession of 15 grams or less from a $1,500 fine and six months jail time to a $250-500 ticket. Mayor Rahm Emanuel aims to reduce the amount of time officers spend processing possession cases and increase the number of cops on the streets combating gang violence and drug dealing. DePaul students caught with marijuana, however, will still find themselves shipped to the local police station.

Lt. Maureen C. Biggane of the Chicago Police New Affairs quotes in an e-mail that the Chicago Police Department (CPD) is “pleased to be able to enforce (the ordinance).” Prior procedure for minor possession cases, which often were thrown out, “tied up thousands of police hours.” The ordinance “significantly reduces processing time, still holds violators accountable and frees up officers to address more serious crime.”

But to college students on campus, an exception still applies. According to the Department Directive concerning the Alternative Cannabis Enforcement Program, “subjects in a school or on school grounds or property” are not eligible for the program and “must be placed under arrest and fined accordingly.”

Within the Drug Free Schools and Community Act in the DePaul undergraduate student handbook, anyone caught in possession of an illegal substance “will be subject to judicial action…in accordance with university policy.” Punishment can involve judicial reprimand, suspension or dismissal while state penalties can include monetary fines, a suspended license and community service. Î_

Students on campus have mixed feelings about the ordinance. Senior Abrar Mirza believes that marijuana overall is “wrong” and that people caught in possession “should be sent to jail” because at the end of the day, marijuana is still “an illegal substance.”  Mirza believes that because of the ordinance, “everyone will want to carry more (marijuana).”

Mirza is not alone. In an article by the Chicago Sun-Times, 26th Ward Alderman Roberto Maldonado, who voted against the ordinance, said he believes Chicago is “going to see a spike in public use of marijuana.”

Other students like senior Arielle Jeter support the ordinance because it will “keep people out of jail (and)…deter students from creating a crime history report they don’t need.”

Students like freshman Jack Willoughby see the ordinance as a “money maker” for the state and doesn’t think any laws “have deterred students from smoking marijuana.”