Cannabis on Campus

Cannabis Policy

Know the Facts:
You may not use or possess cannabis, medical cannabis, or cannabis paraphernalia in any form anywhere on SUNY Delhi property.

Keep it off campus

Alcohol and Cannabis can negatively influence academic success and personal well-being, and it is important to understand the policies and regulations concerning its use both on and off campus.

Before you consider using recreational cannabis in New York, it is important to know and understand the facts and policies about its use. Similar to alcohol and other drugs, there are federal laws; New York laws; and college policies regarding cannabis and its use.

You are part of the SUNY Delhi community

Federal laws prohibit the use, possession, and/or cultivation of cannabis at educational institutions. This applies to ALL SUNY Delhi students, faculty, staff, alumni, visitors, or guests of the college. 21 U.S. Code §811 and 21 U.S. Code §812

Pay attention to Location

Cannabis is legal in New York for adults 21 and older, but that doesn’t mean you can use it anywhere you want. Cannabis can be consumed in a private home or at a state-licensed on-site consumption site. The smoking of cannabis is prohibited anywhere smoking tobacco is prohibited.

Since cannabis is still illegal under federal law, you can’t use on federal land, including national parks and national forests, and federally funded campuses (i.e., our campus!).

Off-Campus Students: A landlord cannot refuse to rent to a tenant who uses cannabis, but landlords, property owners and rental companies can still ban the use of cannabis on their premises.

Under 21

It’s illegal for anyone under age 21 to buy, possess or use adult-use cannabis. Cannabis use is found to have negative social, physical, and mental health impacts on youth.

Keep on track to graduation

Cannabis negatively affects academic performance. The academic impact of using cannabis includes lower GPA and delayed graduation. If drug testing is required, cannabis use can cause you to lose scholarships, jobs, or internships.

Know your resources

There are many campus and off campus support resources. If you are worried about your marijuana use or a friend’s marijuana use you can make a free, confidential appointment with Counseling Services.

Be responsible

Students who look out for one another make better decisions. Be a great community member and be the Bronco Check!

Take care of others

Drug overdose or alcohol poisoning is a medical emergency. Call 911 immediately! New York State has a Good Samaritan Law which prevents you from being charged with a law violation if you seek help in an alcohol or drug-related emergency.

Must be over 21

You may possess and use cannabis and cannabis accessories only if you are 21 or older (and not on the SUNY Delhi campus). Buying or supplying cannabis or cannabis accessories to anyone under 21 is illegal.

Legal purchases/sales only

If you are not a New York licensed retailer, it is illegal to sell or distribute cannabis.

If you are over 21, you may only purchase cannabis or cannabis concentrates from a New York licensed retailer.

Small quantity only

If you are over 21, you may only buy and possess up to three (3) ounces of cannabis flower, and up to 24 grams of concentrated cannabis (oils, tincture, edibles, vapes, etc.).

Private residences

You can use cannabis at your private residence or on private property, if the landlord or property owner allows it. Check your lease!

Do not mail or bring out of New York

Mailing or taking any amount of cannabis from New York is strictly prohibited and subject to penalties.

Never drive under the influence of cannabis

Driving under the influence of cannabis is illegal and can slow motor coordination and other skills needed to drive safely. If you drive under the influence of cannabis, you will get a DUI and risk hurting yourself or others.

Using cannabis products while driving is illegal. Using cannabis while sitting in a non-moving car is also illegal.

Have fun without cannabis

Find fun things to do on campus and around the area:
- BroncoConnect Calendar
- Local Delhi Event Calendar

Special Considerations for Non-U.S. Citizens

Immigration law treats all cannabis-related activity as a crime. Possession, use, and/or admission of cannabis use (legal or illegal) by persons who are not U.S. Citizens (e.g., legal permanent residents, international visa holders, undocumented individuals, etc.) can result in harsh immigration consequences such as: revocation of status, deportation, denial of entry into the U.S., and inability to obtain future immigration benefits. Note: all ports of entry into the U.S., including international terminals at airports, are on federal property, where immigration laws are strictly enforced.

This information is not to be construed as legal advice and is current as of March 11, 2022. Stay up to date by following any changes in the law!

Cannabis FAQs

What happens when someone smokes cannabis?

The way cannabis affects each person depends on many factors, including the user’s previous experience with the drug, the strength of the strain, the user’s expectations, how the drug is consumed, and whether the person has been drinking or using other drugs. Effects of cannabis can include:

Feelings of relaxation or feeling “high”
Increase in appetite and thirst
Feelings of anxiety and paranoia
Distorted perceptions
Trouble with thinking and problem solving
Loss of motor coordination
Problems with memory and learning
Disrupted sleep
Physical effects, such as increased heart rate and breathing problems

These can impact a person’s learning, academic performance, relationships, and athletic performance.

What is the active ingredient in cannabis?

Cannabis is a mind-altering drug. It changes how the brain works. This occurs when THC reaches the brain and attaches to natural cannabinoid receptors. There are over 500 chemicals found in cannabis, but the main active chemical in cannabis is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). Cannabis’ effects on users depends on its strength or potency, which is directly proportional to the amount of THC it contains.

What are edibles and are they safe?

Edibles are food products that are infused with cannabis. Many people underestimate the potency of edibles. Edibles effect everyone differently and the experience is often unpredictable, especially for a novice user.

The effects from smoking cannabis only takes minutes. Edibles, however, take between 1-3 hours because food is absorbed into the bloodstream through the liver. Because it takes longer, the user may end up consuming larger amounts of the drug while thinking the drug isn't working.
The amount of THC, the active ingredient in cannabis, is very difficult to measure and is often unknown in these food products.
If the user has other medications in his or her system, their body may metabolize different amounts of THC, causing THC levels in the bloodstream to dangerously increase five-fold.
Overdose symptoms from eating cannabis are often more severe than symptoms of an overdose from smoking cannabis.

What are concentrates and are they safe?

A cannabis concentrate is a highly potent THC concentrated mass containing extraordinarily high THC levels that could range from 40 to 90%. Concentrates can be up to four times stronger in THC content than the highest grade cannabis, which normally measures around 20% THC levels.

Also known as: wax (dabs), oils (errl or 710, the word “OIL” flipped and spelled backwards), butane honey oil (BHO), crumble, tar, shatter, tinctures (extracts in alcohol).

Being a highly concentrated form of cannabis, the effects upon the user are usually more psychologically and physically intense than plant cannabis use. Negative side effects of using concentrates include a rapid heartbeat, blackouts, feeling like something is crawling under the skin, loss of consciousness and psychotic symptoms, including paranoia and hallucinations.

Concentrates are VERY dangerous to make and SHOULD NOT be made at home.

How long does cannabis stay in the user's body?

The THC in cannabis is rapidly absorbed by fatty tissues in various organs. Generally, traces of THC can be detected by standard urine tests several days after cannabis has been used. In chronic heavy users, traces can sometimes be detected for weeks after someone stops using.

What are the long-term effects of cannabis use?

Long-term continuous users are more likely to potentially develop cannabis hyperemesis syndrome. Cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) is characterized by repeated and severe instances of vomiting and abdominal pain in long-term users. A majority of those who developed CHS report using cannabis at least weekly and regularly for over a year.

Findings show that regular use of cannabis or THC may play a role in some kinds of cancer. Studies show that someone who smokes five joints per day may be taking in as many cancer-causing chemicals as someone who smokes a full pack of cigarettes every day.

Smoking cannabis can also cause problems in the respiratory and immune systems. People who smoke cannabis often develop the same kinds of breathing problems that cigarette smokers have, including coughing and wheezing. They also tend to have more chest colds and are at greater risk of getting lung infections.

Some studies show long-term use may build up tolerance to anesthetics, which may impact their use doing surgery.

What does cannabis do to the brain?

Some studies show that when people smoke large amounts of cannabis for years, the drug takes its toll on mental functions. Heavy or daily use of cannabis affects the parts of the brain that control memory, attention, and learning. A working short-term memory is needed to learn and perform tasks that call for more than one or two steps.

After stopping, cognitive performance improves, but it can take up to 28 days.

Use of cannabis at a young age can impact general executive functioning, which is the slowest part of the brain to develop through the age of 25. You use general executive functioning for planning and accomplishing tasks, for monitoring emotions and habits, and for working memory and attention.

Will using cannabis have an impact on my academic achievement?

Students who use cannabis tend to have poorer educational outcomes than non-using students due to cannabis’ negative effects on attention, memory and learning. Cannabis use in adolescence into emerging adulthood has been shown to be associated with structural and functional changes during brain development that can manifest as poor planning, impaired executive functioning and spatial and attention deficits. Because its use is known to interfere with concentration, memory, and paying close attention, it makes it more difficult to study and retain information. Early chronic cannabis use can lower IQ scores by as much as eight points.

Researchers found that the more frequently a student uses marijuana, the more they tend to skip class, earn lower grades, and graduate later.

The more a student smokes, the worse their academic outcome. Students who smoke cannabis over 15 times a month drop out of college twice as much as those who used cannabis about two times a month. Even those who used cannabis only a few times a month are 66 percent more likely to be discontinuously enrolled than those who used cannabis less.

How does cannabis affect driving?

Cannabis impairs the skills required to drive safely: alertness, concentration, coordination, and reaction time. Cannabis use can make it difficult to judge distances and react to signals and sounds on the road. Data have also shown that while smoking cannabis, people show the same lack of coordination on standard "drunk driver" tests as do people who have had too much to drink.

What is Cannabis Addiction?

Cannabis addiction is characterized as compulsive, often uncontrollable cannabis craving, seeking and use, even though it negatively affects family relationships, school performance, athletic performance and/or recreational activities. Cannabis is both emotionally and mentally addictive. The risk of cannabis addiction is great in people who start using during youth and who use more frequently.

Symptoms of Cannabis Addiction:

Cannabis tolerance: Either need for markedly increased amounts of cannabis to achieve intoxication, or markedly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of cannabis.
Greater use of cannabis than intended: Cannabis taken in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended.
Unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control cannabis use.
A great deal of time spent using cannabis.
Cannabis use causing a reduction in social, occupational or recreational activities.
Continued cannabis use despite knowing it will cause significant problems.
Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when stopping use.

How will I know when my use of cannabis becomes a problem? How much is too much?

When your use of cannabis begins to get in the way of daily life, it is a sign to check in about your use.
Ask yourself these questions to see if your use is too much for you:
- Does your smoking negatively affect your academics?
  - Are you missing classes?
  - Are your grades dropping?
  - Are you not caring about your grades or classes?
- Is your use interfering with relationships?
- Is your need to get high stopping you from doing other things you used to enjoy?
- Is your cannabis use impacting your memory?
- Are you more tired than you would like to be?
- Do you ever feel guilty about using cannabis?
- Is your use impacting your budget?
- Do you need to smoke to go to sleep?
- Do you need to smoke more to get high?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, it is a sign that your cannabis use may be getting in the way of your everyday life

Where can I go to talk about my cannabis use?

There are resources for you here at SUNY Delhi and in the community where you can explore your cannabis use in a supportive non-judgmental environment.

Health and Counseling Services
Foreman Hall, 607-746-4690

Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council of Delaware County, Inc.
116 Main Street, Delhi
Phone: 607-746-8300
The Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council of Delaware County

Delaware County Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services
Phone: 607-832-5890

For more information, see the National Institute on Drug Abuse website.

Alcohol 101

SUNY Delhi has a harm reduction approach to alcohol education, which means we provide students the education they need to make the best decisions for themselves.

Alcohol is a drug categorized as a depressant. This is because it slows down bodily functions, including the central nervous system. In smaller doses alcohol can create a feeling of Euphoria, but once a body has had too much, the depressant effects take over.

What can Alcohol can affect?

Academic Performance (slows down brain’s communication pathways, and impairs thought processes, speech, decision-making, judgment, coordination & problem-solving)- Excessive use/abuse can lead to cognitive problems.
Physical Performance (impacts your sleep, appetite, ability to concentrate and overall levels of stress, diuretic effects can lead to dehydration, effects how you get energy because liver is busy processing alcohol and can’t provide glucose)
Sexual Performance (inhibits respiration, circulation and sensitivity of nerve endings. Dehydrates and lose blood volume. Alcohol also serves as an aphrodisiac but only in moderation, 1 or 2 drinks. Too much alcohol can also interfere with ability to clearly communicate with a sexual partner)

What is a ‘Standard Drink’?

14 grams of “pure” alcohol. All of the beverages below, though different sizes, count for 1 standard drink.

Source: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism

Use a solo cup to help you measure.

What is Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)?

BAC is the measure of alcohol in your bloodstream and can be impacted by many things including your sex, age, weight, how quickly you consume alcohol, and even how much food is in your stomach. Tolerance is more about how your body responds and feels when consuming alcohol. If your brain and body have gotten used to you drinking the same amount after a period of time, you won’t get the same ‘buzz’ by drinking the same amount. However, your tolerance does not affect BAC. You could feel less drunk, but your BAC would stay the same. Tolerance can sneak up on you, but if you do notice this, it may be a sign that your body needs a break. Once you have reset your tolerance, you won’t need as much and will have easier time drinking safely.

The human body can metabolize about 1 drink per hour. Try a scenario out on this BAC calculator to see what a typical night may look like for you. The ideal BAC for health night out would be highest at around .04-.06 BAC.

Source: Syracuse University

Critical Signs of Alcohol Poisoning

Alcohol poisoning is a medical emergency, and you shouldn’t hesitate to get someone help if you suspect someone had had too much to drink. You could save a life. Here are things to look for:

Mental confusion, stupor, unresponsiveness, coma
Vomiting (or person chokes on vomit)
Seizures (from hypoglycemia, low blood sugar)
Slow breathing (few than eight breaths per minute)
Irregular breathing (10 seconds or more between breaths)
Hypothermia (low body temperature), bluish skin, color, paleness

What to do if there are signs of alcohol poisoning:

Know the danger signs.
Do not wait for all the symptoms to be present.
Be aware that a person who has passed out may die.
Do not leave the person alone.
Move the person on their side to prevent choking on their vomit.
If there is a suspicion of alcohol overdose can UPD at 607.746.4700 or 911 for help.
Do not buy into myths. Coffee/food/sleep won’t sober up someone. Even a cold shower at this point could send someone into physical shock. The only thing that will bring you back to sober/BAC of zero is TIME.

Want to have a good night out? Stick to the PLAN!

P is for People (who are you going with and what are your plans to get home together?)
L is for Location (where are you going? Who lives there? Will there be food? Do you trust the people there? Will you let someone know when you get home?)
A is for Amount (How many drinks? How much will you spend? How will you keep track? How will you let your friends know you had enough?)
N is for Notice (check in -with yourself and others. Do you know what to do if you see someone’s safety compromised? Are you ready to make a call?)

Responsible & Safe Drinking - what to think about.

What else is in by drink? If you don’t know what is in your drink, ex. You a drinking “punch” at a party, you wouldn’t have any idea how many drinks you are consuming, even if you are drinking only from glass. A solo cup full could be 5 or more drinks.
Did you make your drink?
Did you lose track of your drink at any point?
Do you know the people who are providing the alcohol?
Have you eaten or drank anything non-alcoholic recently?
Are you on any medication? Don’t consume while taking prescription medication without consulting your doctor.

What are considered drinking problems/issues?

Binge Drinking: defined as consuming 5 or more drinks on an occasion for men or 4 or more drinks for women.
Drug Abuse: characterized by recurrent negative consequences like DUIs, decline in academic performance, guilt, unprotected or unwanted sex, and relationship difficulties. Some signs: Lying about drinking, blacking out, becoming violent or experiencing personality changes, drinking before class or driving, needing to drink to feel better, or only feeling good about self when drinking.
Alcoholism: characterized by preoccupation with or lack of control over alcohol use, reoccurring negative consequences and denial that alcohol use is causing them, and increased tolerance.

Examples of healthy drinking?

Setting limits and being able to stop before getting out of control
Remembering your entire night
Getting home safely
Waking up in the morning feeling fine and being able to meet responsibilities