Johns Hopkins UniversityEst. 1876
America’s First Research University
Note: this post originally appeared as an email sent to the Hopkins community on February 23, 2026.
Dear Johns Hopkins Community:
The U.S. Department of Education requires institutions of higher education to distribute their alcohol and drug policies in writing to students, faculty, and staff members. JHU policies prohibit the illegal use of alcohol and other drugs.
Please note that while the state of Maryland and the District of Columbia have permitted recreational adult use of cannabis (sometimes referred to as marijuana), University policies remain unchanged and prohibit the use, sale, possession, or distribution of cannabis in any form on university property or as a part of university activities. This includes smoking, vaping, dabbing, sublingual administration, topical administration, and oral consumption such as ingesting edibles.
Both policies are intended to support individual students, faculty, and staff in their goals for healthy behavior while cultivating an environment where JHU affiliates can thrive and succeed. They include relevant requirements to promote and create safe communities, as well as possible sanctions that the University may impose for violations of the University’s standards of conduct with respect to alcohol and other drugs.
Offices of the University are here to support anyone who is struggling with alcohol and drug use, and we have included links to these resources below.
The University has a variety of resources related to education about the risk of substance abuse and support for students seeking individual health care services related to alcohol and drug use. A comprehensive list of those resources can be found here. To seek help for substance use or misuse, a comprehensive list of well-being resources, organized by keyword and school, can be found on the well-being website.
Healthcare referrals and educational programs about substance abuse are available through the Employee Assistance Program.
Members of the University community are responsible for knowing the risks associated with substance use and misuse. Medical and public health experts advise that consequences from short-term use of cannabis or alcohol can include increased risk of worsening mental health, impaired memory, worsening sleep, immunity issues, and other direct and indirect consequences to academics, relationships, and overall quality of life. Chronic use can result in serious lifetime health issues like heart disease, cancer, dependence, and addiction.
Federal law generally prohibits the manufacture, distribution, or dispensing of a controlled dangerous substance and, under certain circumstances, of a counterfeit substance. It is also a crime to possess a controlled dangerous substance with the intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense the substance. Conviction for one of these offenses is punishable by a prison sentence, the length of which depends on the type and amount of the drug involved. Maryland and District of Columbia law states that an individual convicted of the manufacture, distribution, dispensing, or possession of a certain controlled dangerous substance with an intent to do any of the foregoing is subject to imprisonment, or a fine, or both. As with federal law, the penalty varies depending on the drug types and amount, and the Maryland and District of Columbia statutes provide for increasingly stiff penalties with each drug offense conviction.
Thank you for your support in fostering a healthy and thriving environment where everyone can achieve their full potential. Adhering to university policies is a shared responsibility among everyone in our community, and we sincerely appreciate your commitment to this effort.
Sincerely,
Rachelle Hernandez
Vice Provost for Student Affairs
Kevin Shollenberger
Vice Provost for Student Health and Well-Being
Meredith Stewart
Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer