On Aug. 21 at 3:27 p.m., Baltimore Police Department arrested a Hopkins sophomore for suspected marijuana and paraphernalia possession.
A Campus Officer reported to the student's room in Charles Commons to investigate a "Fire Trouble Alert" signal that appeared on the security desk monitor. The officer's intent was to look for signs of smoke or fire in the student's room.
While talking with the student in the doorway, the officer detected the odor of marijuana and proceeded to look into the matter.
The Baltimore Police Department was called in and they promptly arrested the undergraduate student.
The amount of marijuana that the student possessed is unknown, as the Baltimore Police Department confiscated the suspected marijuana.
This student earned a suspension from school for his possession of an illegal drug.
Although there have been no similar cases in the school's recent history, the campus drug policy makes it clear that disciplinary action will be taken for breeches of the code.
Lieutenant Mark E. Long of the Investigations Section at Hopkins defined the protocol when it comes to drugs.
"It is the policy of the Johns Hopkins University that the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensation, possession or use of controlled substances is prohibited on the University's property or as a part of University activities," Long said.
"Individuals who possess, use, manufacture, or illegally distribute drugs or controlled dangerous substances are subject to University disciplinary action, as well as possible referral for criminal prosecution."
The weekly campus crime report for the week of Aug. 15 – Aug. 21 included a vague entry concerning a situation of "suspected marijuana", but did not mention the disciplinary action taken.
When students were asked whether they knew about this incident, freshmen seemed to be out of the loop, whereas upperclassmen – and specifically undergraduates who know the student – knew more about the situation.
Fellow students are sympathetic in regards to the sophomore's suspension, but several acknowledged that his actions were unequivocally against school policy.
"Hopkins definitely has a low tolerance policy for drug possession just because it's illegal and it makes the neighborhood unsafe if students bring in dealers and that kind of crime," junior Aishwarya Rajagopalan said.
