Pepperdine: No Credit for Internship With Pro-Pot Organization

Pepperdine University has denied the request of a student for academic credit for an internship with the Marijuana Policy Project, which encourages states to liberalize medical marijuana laws and to decriminalize possession of small amounts of pot. The project issued a press release criticizing the decision and saying that it was inconsistent with Pepperdine's Christian values. "Many prominent religious leaders and organizations support marijuana policy reform, along the spectrum of medical marijuana, decriminalization, and taxation and regulation. Seemingly, the Christian message is, or should be, one of mercy, humanity, and stopping the nation’s failed war on marijuana users," said the statement. A spokesman for Pepperdine said that the student was free on her own time to work with the group, but that the university reviews requests for academic credit to be awarded for internships. In this case, he said, officials "determined that the mission of Pepperdine didn't align well enough with the organization she applied to for the internship."