California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

    An ‘alternative’ Easter Sunday

    Easter Day, April 20, holds a different meaning to stoners around the country. 4/20, a now notorious code for cannabis, has become a fixture in American culture and has come to be known as a kind of holiday in itself – “Weed Day.”

    On April 17, Wellness Programs will host a tabling event at the flagpole put on by Lauren Neiger, the intern for Tobacco and Other Drugs, called Stirring the Pot.

    The event focuses on the facts of marijuana and potential impact the drug can hold for students.

    Students will make bags of snacks and candies, often known as “munchies.” The information provided will help students who choose to celebrate the unofficial holiday stay safe while doing so.

    Stirring the Pot will also highlight national and state laws while reminding students of California Lutheran University’s policy on marijuana.

    “Wellness Programs recognizes that with this date approaching there is a need for us to educate our students about the topic of marijuana to help them be safe and responsible,” Neiger said.

    Neiger has also launched other campaigns through Wellness to provide accurate information to students about tobacco and drugs.

    “In the fall, I launched a large campaign for the Great American Smoke Out,” Neiger said. “This is a nationwide event that hopes to educate students about the adverse effects of smoking tobacco.”

    Tobacco and other drugs  aren’t the only issues that Wellness seeks to educate students about. The other areas are sexual responsibility, healthy living and alcohol education. The interns, one for each area, create programs to help their fellow students have candid discussions about personal safety and responsibility.

    “I think it is important that discussions about taboo subjects happen,” said Katy Crabtree, the Wellness intern for Social Media and Outreach. “We want to provide information for students so they can make safe and healthy choices. We aren’t here to tell them what they should or should not do.”

    Elizabeth Manuel, coordinator for Student Involvement and Wellness, agrees with Crabtree.

    “Wellness Programs tries to provide resources and information for students to help them make the decisions they want to make and that they’re going to make,” Manuel said.

    Most often, students see Wellness passing out free condoms, explaining the differences between water-based and oil-based lubricants and passing out shirts with sayings on them like “Consent is Sexy,” but really these students are trying to open up these traditionally taboo topics for discussion.

    “We really want students to know that Wellness Programs is here to educate students and to be a resource,” Neiger said. “We are not telling students how or what decisions to make.”

    If you plan on partaking in the 4/20 celebrations, plan ahead and stop by Stirring the Pot on April 17 to grab some munchies and get facts about marijuana.

     

    Megan Callery
    Staff Writer
    Published April 16, 2014