Pubdate: Tue, 14 Apr 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: A7 STUDENT CHALLENGES SCHOOLS ON MEDICAL POT A student who was banned from using pot while at school is not done fighting the decision. "I'm not any different than any other person who has been prescribed any other drug," Michael Wileniec said. Late last year, Wileniec was banned from attending classes at Nutana Collegiate while under the influence of his medically prescribed marijuana. Wileniec has a rare bone condition called hereditary multiple exostoses; he says the only thing that relieves the pain is medically prescribed pot. Since he was told he can no longer take his medicine while attending classes, he said he's been forced to do much of his schoolwork at home. Wileniec's lawyer, Heather Funk, said preventing the 21-year-old from using his medically prescribed marijuana constitutes a violation of his human rights. Wileniec has filed a complaint with the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission. "It's almost like we are stepping back in time if you say that someone with a disability can't engage in the mainstream. You are losing what you fought so hard for," Funk said. She compared Wileniec's struggle to that of people who fought for other disability accommodations which are now commonplace. "It's like telling someone who is in a wheelchair and doesn't want to be carried to every class that it is too expensive to build a ramp," Funk said. Her client is simply asking for Saskatoon Public Schools to allow Wileniec to use his medical marijuana in the nurse's office, under the nurse's supervision, she said. Wileniec said he vaporizes his marijuana and uses what is called a "smoke buddy" so there is no smell even if he uses the marijuana indoors. His father, Mark Wileniec, said his son uses his medical marijuana indoors at the family home without anyone else noticing. He doesn't advocate the recreational use of marijuana, but he believes the drug has helped his son and he hopes the human rights complaint will set an important precedent for future patients, he said. "If the next student is in Grade 10, he has two years of this to face. They are going to have the same policy and the same stupid approach." No one from Saskatoon Public Schools could be reached for comment Monday. A spokesperson has previously said the school division could not comment on any specific cases. At the time of the initial complaint, the spokesperson said students like Wileniec could be "accommodated" by getting take-home work and only attending classes for short periods of time while not under the influence of medical marijuana. - --- MAP posted-by: Matt