Here in the United States, marijuana, also known as Cannabis sativa, is an illegal substance. Marijuana is banned for its ability to be used as a drug, and is classified by the federal government as a Schedule I drug. This classification means that marijuana is a highly addictive substance with no accepted medical uses.

Many, such as the governing bodies of 18 states and Washington, D.C., would contest this view of marijuana, codified in the 1970 Controlled Substances Act, claiming through legal proclamation that marijuana does at least have some accepted medical uses. In addition, 15 states have deemed first-time possession of small amounts (the definition of which varies by state) of marijuana to be civil infractions, rather than criminal.

That means that someone found to possess marijuana for personal use is subject to a fine, similar to a traffic violation, and confiscation of the drug, with increasingly severe punishments for repeat offences. Marijuana has even been legalized in the states of Washington and Colorado.

Despite these laws regarding marijuana, we live in a country with a federal system of government, and the supremacy clause of our Constitution is clear: Federal law takes precedence over state law.

That does not mean that states should refuse to pass laws they find just, however. Throughout the country there are state-wide movements directed at legalizing or decriminalizing marijuana, providing for medical marijuana, and legalizing hemp production, which is a type of cannabis plant that cannot be used as a drug, but can be used in the making of several classic agricultural products such as oil, fiber, and food.

These state-by-state efforts are led by people who view the criminalization of marijuana and its users as wrong, and are willing to try to change it. In Iowa, we have such an effort of our own. Organizations like the Iowa chapter of Norml (the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) are lobbying even now to change the views our legislators have regarding marijuana.

Such is the kind of change needed to enact any laws about medical marijuana, or to strike down current laws forbidding the sale, transport, cultivation or consumption of marijuana.

One thing that will never alter such current or potential laws, however, is the illegal use of marijuana. While every person’s decisions about what they do or what they put into their body are ultimately their own, simply breaking a law does nothing to change it.

History buffs may disagree, pointing back to times when segregationist laws were broken deliberately in protest, effectively bringing the nation’s attention to the ludicrousness of certain unjust laws. Those actions were, as opposed to simply breaking laws, a form of public protest that rebelled against a system which was both discriminatory and ideologically set.

The movement to reform marijuana laws is facing no such system, and has never come close to attracting the national attention that civil rights protests did in their time. While some lawmakers certainly oppose any and all changes to marijuana policy, the legal means to enact change have not yet been exhausted.

Since such means have not been exhausted, those who have an interest or who care about the issue have a duty to make their opinions and voices heard. This is absolutely essential to altering societal views about who supports marijuana reform.

According to Aaron Schoeneman, vice president of Iowa Norml, would-be supporters of change are all too often dissuaded by public perception, thinking that they will be discriminated against for voicing their beliefs.

Feelings like this are not far from reality, as some still misunderstand the goals and methods of organizations like Norml. An exemplar of such misunderstanding is Ames’ very own CyRide. When Iowa Norml inquired about advertising on buses, CyRide first responded with a resounding “no,” citing their advertising policy, which expressly forbids ads supporting or encouraging illegal activities or the possession of illegal goods.

That response was made before any proposed advertisements had been shown to CyRide.

They had simply assumed that because Iowa Norml is an organization that focuses on marijuana, any advertisements would, by default, support illegal activities.

Misinformed views like this entirely miss the purpose of individuals and groups working to reform marijuana policy, which is simply to exercise their right to make their opinions known, and hopefully affect the laws of their government.

Luckily, Iowa State holds our very own chapter of Norml, which is dedicated to correcting narrow-minded views about marijuana and the people who support marijuana reform.

Saturday on April 20, 2013, Norml ISU will be walking in the parade, providing fast facts relevant to marijuana reform, and will subsequently host a “chill out” session in central campus, where more information can be obtained.

Anyone interested in actually changing marijuana policy should follow the example set by those students who have already joined groups like Norml ISU. No matter what reasons we have for supporting legal reform, it is a public venture. As such, it must be carried out in full view of our legal system, our government and our fellow citizens.

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Phil Brown is a senior in political science, biology and environmental studies from Emmetsburg, Iowa.