Story 4: Trend

As citizens continue to try and legalize marijuana, local college towns are feeling the effects.
In Pullman and Moscow, two towns predominately made up of college students between 18 and 24 years old, arrests for marijuana possession are concerning.
“Currently, we are in an up swing because people believe marijuana should be legalized,” said Pullman Police Cmdr. Chris Tennant. “This corresponds with the increase.”
Through the first quarter of 2011 Pullman has made 43 arrests for misdemeanor marijuana possession compared to 104 total arrests in 2010. In comparison, Spokane, with a population of more than 208,000 residents, has made 53 misdemeanor arrests during the first quarter.
“Arrests are higher (in Pullman and Moscow) because they’re college towns,” said patrol Sgt. Dan Bruce, with the Moscow Police Department. “College students are more likely to experiment with marijuana.”
Bruce said Pullman and Moscow have a larger population of young adults and that is the age group they have more contact with.
The topic of marijuana and police targeting student-athletes has been a popular discussion around the water cooler. Reggie Moore, Klay Thompson, and DeAngelo Casto, starters for the WSU men’s basketball team, had run-ins with the law. Each player received press time in a three month period related to their citations for marijuana possession.
Seattle Times reporter Bud Withers said that the problem is “overzealous police enforcement.” He’s covered Pac-10 basketball for decades and can’t remember seeing three players on a team getting in trouble for marijuana possession in a single season.
This has lead to local concern about Pullman police targeting student-athletes.
WSU student Kristina Blake, a sports management major, says it seems that way.
“That is what is being exploited to us,” said Blake. “(Athletes) are held in a different light than other students.”
Tennant says when it came to Thompson and Casto’s citations that the officer’s didn’t know they were athletes. He said Thompson’s was a traffic stop and Casto’s was community related.
“It’s reasonable the general public would get that opinion,” said Tennant. “From my perspective, as an officer of the law, we are not targeting anyone.”
Bruce agrees with Tennant.
“I’ve heard we’ve been accused of targeting certain people, but I’ve never seen that,” said Bruce. “We deal with who we run into.”
Blake says she doesn’t believe there is a marijuana problem in Pullman, but feels student-athletes should be held accountable for their actions.
WSU head men’s basketball coach, Ken Bone, says the team has had counseling sessions and team meetings to strongly address the issues. Bone added that things need to change and will change.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) said research shows a recent increase in positive marijuana tests in all Division I-III schools from 28 in 2008-09 to 71 in 2009-10. This problem is not only affecting WSU but all college towns.
Tennant said the Pullman Police Department chooses to focus on small things to keep things under control.
“We have found with young adults, if you allow a total party scene, you only deal with big things,” said Tennant. “We need to hold people accountable and make sure they just can’t cross the line.”
As the debate over whether or not to legalize marijuana continues, arrests for misdemeanor marijuana possession will likely to be affected.