Possession and consumption of alcohol by underage persons results in a minimum fine of $500. If the offense occurs in a motor vehicle, it will also result in a 6-month loss of license. There may also be a required participation in a state sponsored alcohol education program.
Possession of drug paraphernalia can result in fines between $500-$1,000, up to 1 year in jail and 6 months-12 years loss of driving privileges. Financial aid may be revoked for college students arrested on drug-related charges. A conviction of a drug-related charge carries a mandatory suspension of federal student aid eligibility.
Open containers of alcohol in public, regardless of the person's age, carries a fine of $200-$400. Use of a fake ID by an underage person or someone giving their ID to an underage person to obtain alcohol faces fines up to $300 and up to 60 days in jail. Serving alcohol to underage persons is punishable with fines up to $1,000 and up to 1 year in jail.
Urinating in public can result in fines between $200-$300. Smoking in a publicly-designated non-smoking space is punishable with fines up to $200. Noise violations can result in fines between $300-$1,250.
All persons convicted of DWI must pay an insurance surcharge of $1,000/year for 3 years, plus additional fees and costs totaling at least $283. Additionally, there is minimum loss of your driver's license for 3 months, a required 12-48 hours in an Intoxicated Driver Resource Center, up to 30 days in jail and a required installation of a vehicle interlock device for 6-18 months. Penalties increase with each subsequent offense.
The Overdose Protection Act encourages people to seek medical assistance whenever a drug overdose occurs. It does so by providing that those who, in good faith, seek medical assistance for an overdose victim will be immune from arrest and prosecution on a charge of use or simple possession of illegal drugs. The immunity also applies to the person suffering the overdose.
Lifeline Legislation is specific to alcohol and grants immunity to underage persons provided they call 9-1-1, provide their name, are the first person to report the incident, remain at the scene until medical assistance arrives and cooperate with first responders.
The Social Host Liability Law holds the host responsible not only for the injuries suffered by an intoxicated guest but also for injuries or death to third parties as a result of the actions of the intoxicated guest. Social host laws have particular relevance in the area of drinking and driving, with the host sharing the liability if an intoxicated guest is involved in an accident or death.
For more information or questions on New Jersey laws, please visit www.rupd.rutgers.edu or call 732-932-7211.
Campus Policies
All students and employees should know that Rutgers University prohibits unlawful possession, use or distribution of illicit drugs and alcohol on its property or as part of any activities.
Any student found responsible for committing, attempting to commit, or assisting others in committing a violation shall be subject to disciplinary sanctions.
Students may be held accountable for their behavior through both the criminal justice system and the University conduct process. University conduct proceedings may be carried out prior to, simultaneously with, or following civil or criminal proceedings at the discretion of the Director of Student Conduct for Rutgers University-New Brunswick and the Chancellor’s Designee for RBHS, Rutgers University-Camden or Rutgers University-Newark. Disciplinary action, decisions, and/or sanctions shall not be subject to change because criminal charges were dismissed, reduced, or resolved in favor of the student. University community members are not precluded from filing a civil or criminal charge against a student before, while, or after the University pursues disciplinary action.
The full Code of Student Conduct, effective August 1, 2018, can be found here.
Specific sections relevant to alcohol and other drugs are outlined below.
Rutgers University - Standard of Conduct
Rutgers University students are expected to demonstrate respect and regard for the rights and property of all individuals; to take responsibility for and be conscious of the consequences of their actions; and to act to reduce the risks of damage and harm to themselves and others. We expect all members of the Rutgers community to protect one another from harmful behavior, including harmful activity resulting from the use or abuse of alcohol and other drugs, and urge students to take seriously the laws governing the use of alcohol and other drugs. Students are expected to abide by federal, state and local laws and are provided no special protection by Rutgers University if they are caught using, possessing, or distributing illegal drugs. Students are expected to be sensitive to the fact that many of their peers cannot or choose not to drink because of personal reasons or legal provisions.
Rutgers University - Code of Student Conduct
According to the University Code of Student Conduct, violations regarding the distribution or possession of alcohol, narcotics, or other drugs include, but are not limited to:
- Possessing or consuming alcohol under the legal drinking age in New Jersey
- Possessing alcohol in areas of campus where alcohol is not permitted
- Unlawfully possessing or using drugs, narcotics, controlled substances, or paraphernalia
- Misusing or misappropriating any prescription, over-the-counter medication, or legal substance
- Possessing or using medical marijuana on any Rutgers University property
- Impaired driving: Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs is prohibited
- Selling, transferring, giving away, or exchanging something in return for narcotics, prescription medications, or other illegal substances
- Providing or facilitating the consumption of alcohol by any person without taking reasonable and prudent precautions to insure that the person is of legal drinking age in New Jersey
- Sharing medical marijuana with individuals who do not have a medical marijuana prescription
Rutgers University - Residence Life Alcohol Policy
This list is an excerpt from the Alcohol and Other Drug Policy for Students. To view the full policy, or the visit the Rutgers University Policy Library or the Residence Life Alcohol Policy page.
- Alcohol cannot be possessed or consumed in rooms, suites, or apartments where all residents are under the age of 21.
- Alcohol may not be possessed or consumed in a public area of the residences. All areas in a residence hall, except for private rooms, are considered public areas. When the door of a private room is open, the room is considered a public area. Only those of legal drinking age may transport closed containers of alcohol.
- Individuals under the age of 21 may not consume alcohol. Only those of legal drinking age may be served alcohol.
- Individuals may not provide alcohol to anyone under the legal drinking age. Those who do are subject to penalties under University regulations and under New Jersey state law.
- To avoid disagreements regarding violations of the alcohol policy, the display of empty alcoholic beverage containers not limited to bottles, cans, and cases are prohibited in public areas and student rooms, which includes containers used as decoration. This applies to all residents regardless of age.
- Drinking games (whether or not alcohol is involved) or other behaviors designed for the purpose of rapid and/or excessive consumption of alcohol are prohibited.
- At no time should activities which encourage excessive drinking and/or lead to the endangerment of the individual served take place in the residence halls.
Rutgers University - Residence Life Drug Policy
Any suspicion of illegal drug use in residence halls, apartments or suites will be immediately reported to Rutgers University Police. Use or possession of illegal drugs may result in arrest, immediate relocation, loss of housing without refund, and mandatory assignment to substance use counseling. Distribution of drugs will result in arrest and can result in permanent expulsion from the University.
In addition to the violations listed in the Rutgers University Code of Student Conduct, the following are considered violations of the Drug Policy within the residence halls:
- Selling, transferring, or exchanging something in return for narcotics, prescription medications, or illegal substances on University property or between members of the University community.
- Possessing or using medical marijuana on Rutgers University campus.
- Sharing medical marijuana with individuals who do not have a medical marijuana prescription.
- Unlawfully possessing or using drugs, narcotics, controlled substances, counterfeit controlled substances, or paraphernalia.
- Misusing or misappropriating any prescription, over-the-counter medication, or legal substance.
- Possessing or intending to use drug paraphernalia to plant, propagate, cultivate, grow, harvest, manufacture, compound, convert, produce, process, prepare, test, analyze, pack, repack, store, contain, conceal, ingest, inhale, or otherwise introduce into the human body a controlled dangerous substance.
- Possession with intent to use a hypodermic syringe, hypodermic needle or any other instrument adapted for the use of a controlled dangerous substance. Additionally, to sell, furnish or give to any person such syringe, needle or instrument.
-
- A person is authorized to possess and use a hypodermic needle or hypodermic syringe if the person obtains the hypodermic syringe or hypodermic needle by a valid prescription issued by a licensed physician, dentist or veterinarian and uses it for its authorized purpose.
- All hypodermic needles and/or syringes must be destroyed appropriately.
- A hypodermic needle is destroyed if the needle is broken from the hub or mangled.
- A syringe is destroyed if the nipple of the barrel is broken from the barrel, or the plunger and barrel are melted.
- Alternatively, a hypodermic needle or syringe is destroyed if it is discarded as a single unit, without recapping, into a rigid container and the container is destroyed by grinding or crushing in a compactor, or by burning in an incinerator approved by the Department of Environmental Protection, or by another method approved by the Department of Health.
UNIVERSITY DISCIPLINE IN CASES OF VIOLATION OF LAW
Rutgers University students may be held accountable through the University disciplinary process as well as the local New Brunswick/Piscataway criminal justice system. The University disciplinary process may be carried out before, simultaneously with, or following any related civil or criminal proceedings. If civil or criminal charges are dropped, or if the student is found not guilty via the criminal justice process, University disciplinary decisions and/or sanctions will not be subject to alteration or amendment.
Rutgers University - Medical Amnesty Policy
The University strongly encourages students to call 911 or RUPD (732-932-7211) for medical assistance for themselves or for community members who are dangerously under the influence of drugs or alcohol. No student seeking medical treatment for the effects of drug or alcohol use will be subject to university discipline for violations pertaining to drug or alcohol possession/use as outlined in the Student Code. The full policy can be found at www.studentconduct.rutgers.edu/medical-amnesty.
Campus Sanctions
The University Code of Student Conduct applies to all university students living both on and off-campus. For information on the student disciplinary system at Rutgers University, please visit the Office of Student Conduct at studentconduct.rutgers.edu.
When students choose to accept admission to Rutgers University, they accept the rights and responsibilities of membership in the University’s academic and social community. Our policies seek to provide an environment that reduces or eliminates the adverse consequences of alcohol and other drug misuse and abuse.
The University recognizes that addiction is a treatable illness and encourages anyone who may have a substance use disorder to seek treatment. This policy is not designed to be punitive for students seeking treatment. Comprehensive health education and mental health services for students (including alcohol and other drug treatment) are provided on all University campuses.
A NOTE ABOUT MEDICAL AMNESTY: Students who seek emergency medical attention for themselves or others for a condition related to consumption of alcohol or other drugs, will not be charged with related violations of the Rutgers University Code of Student Conduct.
More information on sanctions and fines can be found at studentconduct.rutgers.edu/fines.
When students choose to accept admission to Rutgers University, they accept the rights and responsibilities of membership in the University’s academic and social community. Our policies seek to provide an environment that reduces or eliminates the adverse consequences of alcohol and other drug misuse and abuse.
The University recognizes that addiction is a treatable illness and encourages anyone who may have a substance use disorder to seek treatment. This policy is not designed to be punitive for students seeking treatment. Comprehensive health education and mental health services for students (including alcohol and other drug treatment) are provided on all University campuses.
A NOTE ABOUT MEDICAL AMNESTY: Students who seek emergency medical attention for themselves or others for a condition related to consumption of alcohol or other drugs, will not be charged with related violations of the Rutgers University Code of Student Conduct.
More information on sanctions and fines can be found at studentconduct.rutgers.edu/fines.