Colorado Schools Could Be the First in the US to Allow the Consumption of Medicinal Marijuana

A few months ago Colorado legalised cannabis, but until now schools have been considered marijuana-free zones. State legislators, however, have hurried to draft what has been the called the “Jack Amendment,” which will now have to be approved by the governor. 

The amendment's name is owing to Jack Splitt, a 14 year old who suffers from severe cerebral paralysis whose caregiver had been prohibited from using marijuana patches to improve his state of health. This amendment could benefit Jack and other patients, whose quality of life would benefit from medicinal marijuana. 

The bill would allow parents and caregivers to administer marijuana patches to students when doctors deem it necessary. Among the conditions that are regularly treated with this remedy are epilepsy, cerebral paralysis and convulsions. 

Those in favour of the law argue that the administration of marijuana is no different from that of other medicines administered at schools. “We allow children to take all kinds of psychotropic medicines; whether it's Ritalin [MFD] or analgesic opiates, under supervised circumstances. We should do the same thing here,” explained Jonathan Singer, one of the Colorado legislators in favour of this amendment.

Governor John Hickenlooper has 30 days to determine whether the “Jack Amendment" will pass. If he approves it Colorado will become the first US state to allow a student to consume medicinal marijuana.