In January 2014, Colorado became the first state to implement a legal recreational marijuana program. The state may make history again if the governor signs a bill that would allow students access to medical marijuana in school.
Although this may sound rather extreme, the bill only allows students who suffer from conditions such as epilepsy, cerebral palsy and seizures to take doses of low-THC medical marijuana. The bill would allow parents or caregivers, with a doctor’s note, to come into their child’s school and administer marijuana in the form of a patch.
Democratic Representative Jonathan Singer sponsored the bill, dubbed Jack’s Amendment. The bill was inspired by 14-year-old Jack Splitt, whose personal nurse was reprimanded at his middle school for putting a medical marijuana patch on his arm. The patch had been prescribed by doctors to help alleviate his spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy and dystonia. The school told the nurse never return with the patch again.
Even though marijuana is legal in Colorado, schools are still drug-free zones. Supporters of the bill argue that medical marijuana should not be treated differently than other medications.
Singer said, “We allow children to take all sorts of psychotropic medications, whether it’s Ritalin or opiate painkillers, under supervised circumstances. We should do the same here.”
Bill clears legislators just in time
The Colorado legislative session is set to end today and lawmakers were running out of time to pass Jack’s Amendment. The legislation easily cleared the House of Representatives and the Senate unanimously passed the bill.
Singer said, “Jack’s Amendment will assure that children don’t have to choose between going to school and taking their medicine.”
Governor is expected to sign the bill
Democratic Governor John Hickenlooper has 30 days to sign or reject the bill. Yesterday, a spokeswoman for Governor Hickenlooper said he plans to sign the bill.
Colorado has become a trend setter for marijuana reform. Lawmakers in Maine have seen a strong push from parents who want the state to allow medical marijuana in their schools. Appropriate legislation though, has not progressed too far.
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