Since Wednesday, Feb. 1, there have been at least eight reports filed of possible marijuana use in the campus residence halls. However, when authorities arrive to investigate, there are often no illegal substances to be found.
Captain Jim Cook of the Ferris State Department of Public Safety believes these situations are not related or suspicious.
“The staff in the residence hall has been trained as to what the odor of marijuana smells like. As by residence hall policy, they call us to investigate when they smell it,” Cook said.
According to Cook, when people are around marijuana smoke the odor clings to their clothing and belongings.
“So when we investigate, they (residence hall workers) might be smelling the odor in the room or on the person, if we do not find any contraband, then it’s just an odor, so it is turned back over to housing to do the referral to student conduct for marijuana usage,” Cook said.
According to housing staff they are only responsible for filling out a referral in these instances.
“People put themselves in situations where they are around it. There is no law against having that smell on your person,” Cook said.
“We investigate any report, we will make contact with the suspect, and each case has its own merits. If there is enough evidence, they (the officer) will go forward with criminal prosecution.
Two of these reports have come from Cramer Hall, two from Vandercook, and two from Travis, as well as one from both Clark and McNerney.