Pubdate: Tue, 13 Feb 2018
Source: Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Copyright: 2018 Sun-Sentinel Company
Website: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/159
Author: Scott Travis

MEDICAL MARIJUANA IS LEGAL. BUT HOW SHOULD SCHOOLS HANDLE IT?

Broward County Schools are hashing out plans for dealing with medical
marijuana on campus.

Under a proposed policy, students wouldn't be allowed to carry pot and
it could not be stored on campus. But a student's parent or caregiver
could bring it to school and administer it if the child has the proper
medical approval.

School staff would be not be allowed to handle it.

Pot use has long been banned on school campuses, but Florida voters
legalized it for medical purposes in 2016. The state Legislature last
year required schools to come up with a policy on dealing with it.

School districts are uneasy with the state mandate. Marijuana is
illegal under federal law, so districts who allow it could potentially
lose federal funding for school lunches and Title 1 programs for
low-income students.

"The expansion of marijuana use policies in the states has largely
gone unchecked by federal officials; however, the expansion into
schools presents a different set of issues and could meet some federal
pushback, " warned the Education Commission of the States, which
studies education policy.

Miami-Dade County school officials say they have decided not to allow
medical marijuana at school due to the conflict in state and federal
law.

Palm Beach County schools allows it to be administered by nurses, who
are employed not by the district but by the county health care district.
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MAP posted-by: Matt