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Act 305 - Awareness Notification
Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students,
I am writing to inform you of an amendment to an important piece of legislation. Act 305 of the 2026 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature amended Louisiana’s drug-free zone statute. Act 305 took effect August 1, 2026, and it raises the penalty for possessing or using marijuana on or near a college campus from a fine to a term of imprisonment; it further extends the consequences of the violation while smoking, vaping, or otherwise abusing such controlled dangerous substances on or within two thousand feet of school property.
What Changed
Prior law treated the same conduct as a fine-only offense. That conduct now carries up to one year of imprisonment and a fine of up to one thousand dollars if it occurs on or near a college campus. Because a hard labor sentence may be imposed, the offense falls within the definition of a felony.
What You Need to Know
- Under Louisiana Act 305, it is a felony offense to:
- Possess marijuana on or near a college campus (within 2,000 feet of a school, college, or university)
- Smoke or vape marijuana or other controlled dangerous substances on or near a college campus (within 2,000 feet of a school, college, or university).
- The Statute covers every college or university campus. La. R.S. 40:981.3(C)(1) defines school as any public or private elementary, secondary, vocational-technical school, or any public or private college or university in Louisiana.
- The 2,000-foot radius extends well beyond the boundaries of our campuses and sites and includes many nearby residential streets and neighborhoods.
- A THC vape pen counts.
- Individuals who possess a prescription to possess marijuana are not exempt from legal recourse if they smoke or vape marijuana within the designated zone.
- The statute pertains to everyone: faculty, staff, students, contractors, and visitors.
What Individuals Found in Violation May Face:
- Arrest
- Felony criminal charges
- Up to one year in jail
- A fine of up to $1,000
- A permanent criminal record that may affect future employment, professional licensure, graduate school admission, financial aid eligibility, and other opportunities.
- Louisiana defines a felony as any crime for which the offender may be sentenced to imprisonment at hard labor. The new penalty allows a sentence of hard labor, and such a conviction goes on an adult criminal record.
- A student will be referred to the College’s student conduct process for potential disciplinary action under Delgado Community College's Student Code of Conduct.
For students, college disciplinary action is separate from any criminal proceedings and may include educational sanctions, probation, suspension, or other disciplinary measures, depending on the circumstances and a student's conduct history.
Campus Police and the Office of Facilities are in the process of mapping out the two-thousand-foot radius for each Delgado Community College Campus and Site. Within the next week, those maps will be provided to you. Delgado Community College is committed to providing a safe, healthy, and academically focused environment for every member of our community.
Sincerely,
Larissa Littleton Steib, Ph.D.
Chancellor