The Mile High State is proving to be a fighter for medical marijuana patient rights and is leading the way once again to safe access.
Gov. Hickenlooper signed a bill into law today that requires school districts to respect the necessary use of medical marijuana on campus. No, this doesn’t mean high-schoolers are going to be smoking j’s behind the gym because of their anxiety, it means that children with serious debilitating diseases will be able to take their daily medication under adult supervision and not have to suffer through another day of school because of the plant’s stigma.
The students will not be able to possess or self-medicate, rather a primary caretaker may possess and administer the medicine to a needy student with a medical marijuana authorization.
The school district staff is not assuming any responsibility for the administering of the medicine, so the responsibility falls on the parents or primary caretaker of the child.
The bill, also known as Jack’s Law, states that “A school district or charter school may not discipline a student who holds a valid recommendation for medical marijuana solely because the student requires medical marijuana in a non-smokable form as a reasonable accommodation necessary for the child to attend school.” The bill goes on to say that schools are also not allowed to discriminate against children who require medical marijuana by denying them enrollment at the school.
Jack’s Law does contain a section that allows school districts to opt out if they are at risk of losing federal funding because of their cooperation with the law, however, the state has said they will reimburse schools for any federal funding lost.
Jack’s Law is named after Colorado resident, Jack Splitt, who has cerebral palsy and uses medical cannabis to improve his situation drastically. Last year his mother, Stacy Linn, helped pass an amendment to the Medical Marijuana Caregivers bill, called Jack’s Amendment, that allowed school districts to opt into allowing medical marijuana on campus, however, no school districts moved forward with changing their drug policy.
Right after the passing of Jack’s Amendment last year, a student named Jax, whose severe seizures due to Dravet’s syndrome are only managed with the use of medical cannabis, was caught with cannabis capsules in his lunchbox. Sand Creek High School suspended Jax for possession of a controlled substance.
Jax’s suspension stirred up outrage in the medical marijuana community, as parents all over the state who have very similar situations were concerned for the health of their children. Jennie Storms, the mother of Jax, says “if kids with medications like Ritalin and Adderall are allowed to have them at school, than kids prescribed medical marijuana should be offered the same opportunity.”
With the passing of Jack’s Law today, school districts are required to change their drug policy and accommodate for children with medical marijuana needs.
