Baton Rouge, LA: Republican Gov. Jeff Landy is reminding Louisianans that the possession or use of cannabis in proximity to school grounds or on college campuses is now defined as a felony offense, punishable by up to one year in jail and hard labor.
In an X post on Tuesday, Gov. Landry emphasized that “marijuana on campus is a crime.” In a separate letter sent by the Governor to educators, he emphasized that the law applies not only to students, but to anyone attending school-related events.
Under the new law (Act 305), which the Governor signed in June, “smoking, vaping, or otherwise abusing” cannabis on campus or within 2,000 feet of school property is enhanced to a felony offense. The Governor said that he had publicly pushed for the penalty increase because he was “tired … of being inundated with the smell of marijuana” during college sport events.
The new law sets aside certain aspects of a 2021 state law removing the threat of jail time for low-level cannabis possession offenses.
In 2025, over 62 percent of all drug-related arrests in Louisiana were for marijuana possession — the highest percentage in the country. In total, police made over 9,600 marijuana-related arrests in 2025. Over 96 percent of those arrested were for marijuana possession, not trafficking or sales.
A breakdown of state-by-state marijuana arrest data is available from NORML.