Pubdate: Sat, 17 Jan 2015
Source: StarPhoenix, The (CN SN)
Copyright: 2015 The StarPhoenix
Contact: http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/400
Author: Charles Hamilton
Page: A1

STUDENT BANNED FROM USING MEDICAL MARIJUANA AT SCHOOL

SASKATOON - Every morning Michael Wileniec wakes up in excruciating
pain. He lives with a rare bone disease called hereditary multiple
exostoses and says the only thing that makes the pain even a little
bit better is his medically prescribed marijuana.

In the six years since he got his prescription, Wileniec says his
quality of life has improved considerably.

This week that changed when he was told he could no longer medicate at
school.

"When I went to Nutana (Collegiate) two and half years ago they were
completely OK with me using medical marijuana," Wileniec said.

Now that high school, under the direction of Saskatoon Public Schools,
has barred him from attending class under the influence of his
doctor-prescribed medication.

"I was just advised that I am not allowed to come to school under the
influence of medical marijuana," he said.

Wileniec said until this week he medicated by smoking marijuana joints
and using a hand-held vaporizer outside the school between and before
classes. His teachers, he said, were aware of his condition and his
prescription and had no problem with it.

A letter from superintendent of education Lisa Fleming says "he must
consume marijuana at a time not connected to school" because of
concerns for "the safety of all campus members."

No one from the school board was available for comment, but in a
written statement Friday, a spokesperson said the rules are no
different for medical marijuana than they are for other potentially
mind-altering prescribed drugs.

"We would be concerned whether anyone - either student or staff - was
on school grounds while under the influence of alcohol or drugs,
whether prescription or otherwise," the statement says.

Wileniec doesn't buy that answer and believes the new school directive
is in violation of his right to attend high school and get the credits
he needs to graduate. He pointed out there are plenty of students on
school grounds who are under the influence of prescribed narcotics.

"People that use Ritalin, it's a narcotic as well and they do come to
school high. They are literally expected to do it in order to function
=C2=85 it should be the same for me," he said.

Fellow medical marijuana patient Xander Nichol, who has known Wileniec
for years, agrees.

"How are you no longer safe because he is medicating with marijuana?"
Nichol said. "We need to acknowledge the medical value, not run from
it."

The letter, which Wileniec shared, went on the say that
"accommodations" will be made for any student who is prescribed
medical marijuana. He could be given take-home work and allowed to
attend school for short periods of time while not under the influence
of his prescribed marijuana.

Wileniec is not the only student trying to navigate through the issues
of medical marijuana and high school. Local news reports in Calgary
indicate that one family said their son's high school has allowed the
student to vaporize marijuana at school.

Wileniec, who is 21, is at Nutana because his condition and the
resulting surgeries made it difficult to finish school. He said if and
when he gets the four credits he needs to graduate, he wants to become
a pilot or a lawyer advocating for the rights of medical marijuana
patients.
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MAP posted-by: Matt