Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
The family of Genny Barbour may have found relief for their daughter in Gov. Chris Christie's pen.
Christie signed into law legislation that requires schools and facilities providing services to persons with developmental disabilities to adopt policies that allow qualifying patients to receive medicinal marijuana on Monday.
Bill A-4587/S-3049 allows parents, guardians or primary caregivers, to administer medical marijuana on school grounds, on a school bus, or at a school sponsored activity, provided it is administered in a non-smokable form in a location designated by the school.
Specifically, the law requires boards of education, chief school administrators of non-public schools, and chief administrators of facilities providing services to persons with developmental disabilities to adopt a policy authorizing parents, guardians, and primary caregivers to administer medical marijuana to qualifying patients under certain circumstances.
Barbour is a 16-year-old Maple Shade girl who suffers from epilepsy and autism and has been denied the right to use medical marijuana at the Larc School in Bellmawr.
Courts have ruled twice this year that the school's nurse isn't permitted to to administer cannabis oil to Genny Barbour under state law.
It has also ruled that can't come to school to administer the oil at lunchtime.
As a result, Genny Barbour has had to miss half the school day every day since April so she can go home and receive her treatments.
Genny's father, Roger, told nj.com he and his wife were "caught off guard" and are "guardedly happy" about Monday's developments. He said he would contact the school district to see what happens next.
"We're talking about some of the state's most severely disabled students, some of whom suffer life threatening seizures and medical marijuana is the only thing that has helped ease their condition," bill co-sponsor and Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald (D-Camden/Burlington) said in a statement issued Monday afternoon. "We should be working with these families, not hindering relief. This change will lend more compassion to our program and help serve those who need it most."
"Eliminating ambiguities in our current law will help ease the concerns of school districts that might fear liability," bill co-sponsor and Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt (D-Camden/Burlington) said. "This simple change in the law will help parents ensure that their children do not suffer throughout the day when relief is so near at hand."
In the case of a public or non-public school, parents, guardians, and primary caregivers would be authorized to administer medical marijuana to a student in a non-smokable form while the student is on school grounds, aboard a school bus, or attending a school-sponsored event, provided the administration is consistent with a school policy that:
Nothing in the law permits medical marijuana to be smoked in a place where smoking is prohibited.
The bill was also sponsored by Assemblyman John F. McKeon (D-Essex/Morris), Assemblyman James C. Holley (D-Union), Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-Middlesex/Somerset/Union) and Sen. Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D-Camden/Gloucester).
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Medical Marijuana Now Allowed In School For Special Needs Children
Author: Anthony Bellano
Contact: Contact Page
Photo Credit: John Ziomek
Website: Patch
Christie signed into law legislation that requires schools and facilities providing services to persons with developmental disabilities to adopt policies that allow qualifying patients to receive medicinal marijuana on Monday.
Bill A-4587/S-3049 allows parents, guardians or primary caregivers, to administer medical marijuana on school grounds, on a school bus, or at a school sponsored activity, provided it is administered in a non-smokable form in a location designated by the school.
Specifically, the law requires boards of education, chief school administrators of non-public schools, and chief administrators of facilities providing services to persons with developmental disabilities to adopt a policy authorizing parents, guardians, and primary caregivers to administer medical marijuana to qualifying patients under certain circumstances.
Barbour is a 16-year-old Maple Shade girl who suffers from epilepsy and autism and has been denied the right to use medical marijuana at the Larc School in Bellmawr.
Courts have ruled twice this year that the school's nurse isn't permitted to to administer cannabis oil to Genny Barbour under state law.
It has also ruled that can't come to school to administer the oil at lunchtime.
As a result, Genny Barbour has had to miss half the school day every day since April so she can go home and receive her treatments.
Genny's father, Roger, told nj.com he and his wife were "caught off guard" and are "guardedly happy" about Monday's developments. He said he would contact the school district to see what happens next.
"We're talking about some of the state's most severely disabled students, some of whom suffer life threatening seizures and medical marijuana is the only thing that has helped ease their condition," bill co-sponsor and Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald (D-Camden/Burlington) said in a statement issued Monday afternoon. "We should be working with these families, not hindering relief. This change will lend more compassion to our program and help serve those who need it most."
"Eliminating ambiguities in our current law will help ease the concerns of school districts that might fear liability," bill co-sponsor and Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt (D-Camden/Burlington) said. "This simple change in the law will help parents ensure that their children do not suffer throughout the day when relief is so near at hand."
In the case of a public or non-public school, parents, guardians, and primary caregivers would be authorized to administer medical marijuana to a student in a non-smokable form while the student is on school grounds, aboard a school bus, or attending a school-sponsored event, provided the administration is consistent with a school policy that:
- requires the student to be authorized to engage in the medical use of marijuana pursuant to the "Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act" and the parent, guardian, or primary caregiver to be authorized to assist the student with the medical use of medical marijuana;
- establishes protocols for verifying the registration status and ongoing authorization concerning the medical use of marijuana for the student and the parent, guardian, or primary caregiver;
- expressly authorizes parents, guardians, and primary caregivers to administer medical marijuana to the student while the student is on school grounds, aboard a school bus, or attending a school-sponsored event;
- identifies locations on school grounds where medical marijuana may be administered; and
- prohibits the administration of medical marijuana by smoking or other form of inhalation.
Nothing in the law permits medical marijuana to be smoked in a place where smoking is prohibited.
The bill was also sponsored by Assemblyman John F. McKeon (D-Essex/Morris), Assemblyman James C. Holley (D-Union), Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-Middlesex/Somerset/Union) and Sen. Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D-Camden/Gloucester).
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Medical Marijuana Now Allowed In School For Special Needs Children
Author: Anthony Bellano
Contact: Contact Page
Photo Credit: John Ziomek
Website: Patch
