Ball State's NORML chapter meets every Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Whitinger Business Building.
Even as public attitudes and laws on marijuana have started to change around the U.S., students should still remember it is illegal in Indiana, said a criminal defense attorney.
Andrew Maternowski, an Indianapolis-based lawyer, is also a member of the National Organization for the Reformation of Marijuana Laws (NORML) legal committee. When he spoke on campus Sept. 17, he said the most important thing for students interested in enacting change is to be aware of the laws surrounding marijuana usage.
"If you're going to [use marijuana], do it responsibly," Maternowski said. "What doesn't help the movement is doing stupid s—t. You can't be part of the fight when you're sitting in the county jail."
Maternowski said there was nothing that could be done for students found with marijuana on campus and in the dorms, as the university is public property. According to the NORML website, 50 percent of Maternowski's casework involves marijuana defense while the other 50 percent is general criminal defense.
"Don't put yourself in stupid situations," Maternowski said. "I'm trying to protect you from knowing me in a legal capacity."
Questions from the audience focused primarily on the legal consequences of being found with or around marijuana in Indiana. Students noted how the punishment for marijuana possession on campus is harsher than the punishment for underage alcohol possession.
According to the Ball State Student Code, students who live on campus "will be subject to immediate contract termination if found responsible for any violation" of the drug policy. On the other hand, in cases of underage alcohol possession or consumption, parents are called after the first incident in certain cases and sometimes not until the second case.
Lucas Reidenbach, a student who is the social media officer for Ball State's NORML chapter, said people will always use marijuana whether it is legal or not. He said NORML does not support breaking the law, but hosted Maternowski to educate people about the implications of marijuana usage.
"I want to make explicitly clear that we do not encourage or directly endorse marijuana usage, as it is still illegal in the state of Indiana," Reidenbach said. "We are facilitating a Q&A to inform students about their rights in certain situations."
Maternowski said he believed marijuana would become legal in about 15 years. Until then, he said students need to be aware of the laws regarding marijuana in Indiana and around the country.
Possession of any amount of marijuana in Indiana is a misdemeanor, and can lead to 180 days in prison and a maximum fine of $1,000, according to norml.org.
Maternowski noted that there are attorneys who are part of the NORML legal committee who have never even used marijuana, but recognize it as a right they think people deserve.
"If it was my world, [NORML] wouldn't even exist because pot would be legal," Maternowski said. "Advocate for change. Don't be afraid to speak up. I support people who support change in law."
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