Starting Jan. 1, 2017, marijuana will be decriminalized in the entire state of Missouri. In response to the changing legal policy, Washington University should take a stance now and amend its Medical Amnesty policy to include marijuana.

Both the University of Connecticut and Ithaca College amended their policies in response to similar decriminalization laws in their respective states. The two universities have essentially equalized the punishment with underage drinking. According to a report by Students for Sensible Drug Policy, the University of Connecticut did so in 2011 to “focus on the health of the student, rather than on harsh sanctions that do nothing to solve the problem.” The Office of Residential Life could take something from this precedent and allow Resident Advisors to handle marijuana violations instead of calling the Washington University Police Department if someone is suspected of possessing marijuana.

This kind of policy not only is more sensible for students, but also benefits campus police by allowing them to more effectively use their time. As Ithaca College recognized, marijuana and alcohol shouldn’t be considered more or less acceptable than the other.

Despite being proven to be less harmful than alcohol, marijuana is still unfairly prosecuted by the University. Incidents involving marijuana violate the drug policy and require a meeting with a student’s Residential College Director, after which the student “will be referred to the Judicial Administrator for disciplinary action.” It doesn’t stop there because the case can still be referred outside of the University for criminal prosecution.

Meanwhile, students who violate the alcohol policy may be referred to the Judicial Administrator. This type of violation doesn’t bear guaranteed formal disciplinary action. With the effects of marijuana well known, it seems cruel and unusual for marijuana to be punished on the same level as hard, and potentially fatal, drugs.

It’s hard to ignore the fact that public opinion on marijuana legalization has rapidly shifted in recent years. Whether you agree with this change or not is not of importance though, student safety is. At least that’s what the Washington University in St. Louis Medical Amnesty document says.

It’s clear that “the safety and well-being of its students [is] essential to its mission,” but it’s hypocritical to only hold this true for alcohol related emergencies. Potential for disciplinary action inherently acts “as a barrier to students who want to seek medical assistance for themselves or others” no matter the substance involved. Why should marijuana not be included as well? By not changing these provisions, the University is preventing students, student organizations and other groups from seeking medical care in an emergency.

Changing legal norms isn’t the only reason to change the policy now though. With the rise of synthetic marijuana, it’s irresponsible for the University not to immediately revise its medical amnesty policy. Overdosing on marijuana is essentially impossible statistically, but that isn’t the case for synthetic cannabinoids. According to a 2014 report by the Center for Disease Control, from January to May 2015, 15 people died using synthetic marijuana. The report also shows that poison control calls regarding the substance skyrocketed 229 percent over the same time period.

Clearly, synthetic marijuana is dangerous, unpredictable, severe and can be life-threatening. If there’s any impetus to amend Medical Amnesty, it comes from the fatal nature of synthetic marijuana. I implore Washington University to amend the policy at the very least, in order to be prepared for what could likely be a future problem on our campus and universities around the country.