On November, 6, 2012, Washington State passed Initiative 502 legalizing marijuana use for adults 21 years of age and older. The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board has developed rules regarding production, processing, and sale of marijuana in this state.

This initiative has created conflicts in federal and state law. While cannabis is now legal within Washington State, it remains illegal within the United States. And, as a federally-funded institution, the University of Puget Sound will follow federal law with respect to the sale, possession, and use of marijuana or marijuana-infused products.

The production, distribution, sale, possession, and use of marijuana or marijuana-infused products are prohibited on campus and during university-sanctioned activities.

We recognize that this is a dynamic industry and legal interpretation of the law is also evolving. We will not engage in job recruitment-related activity that could put valuable institutional funding at risk.

The following is a statement from Career and Employment Services:

The University of Puget Sound is cognizant of the growing industry surrounding the sale of legal marijuana in Washington State and the industry’s interest in cultivating talent for this emerging field. While cannabis is legal in Washington State, it remains illegal on a federal level, and thus provides a conflict for the university when considering the employers allowed to recruit on-campus and the career-related opportunities off-campus within this industry. The federal Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act disallows the unlawful possession, use, and distribution of illicit drugs, including marijuana. If the college fails to comply, it could become ineligible for federal funding, including financial aid programs for students.

Until there is clear resolution of the conflict between state and federal laws, the Career and Employment Services office at the University of Puget Sound will not allow cannabis-related employers to participate in on-campus recruiting activities or career events held off-campus, with the exception of regulatory, compliance, oversight, or research organizations. Select employers will be allowed to post opportunities in our online job boards, LoggerJobs and Handshake, provided the organization is not involved in the sale, production, or distribution of cannabis products. More specifically:

  • CES will not host or sponsor any job shadow opportunities within the marijuana grow, production, distribution, retail, promotion, or tourism industry.
  • CES will not post or promote any internships (for credit or not) within the cannabis industry other than those within cannabis regulation, compliance, oversight, or research where students will not have access to product.
  • CES will post jobs that center on compliance, regulation, research & development. We will not post positions with marijuana growers, retailers, or promoters.

The University of Puget Sound maintains sole discretion regarding which opportunities and employers may be represented to Puget Sound students as outlined in the Career and Employment Services Recruiting Policies.

Use or possession of cannabis or cannabis products is strictly prohibited on campus and as part of any university program.