Medical marijuana patient and Colorado Springs teen blocked from class

By Joel Warner Tue., Feb. 15 2011 at 3:59 PM

Should a zero-tolerance school drug policy always be zero tolerance? Under every circumstance?

That's what some people are asking because of the headline-grabbing tale of the Colorado Springs sixteen-year-old who is not allowed at school when he uses the medical marijuana he's been prescribed by his doctor because of a rare and debilitating neurological condition.

The teenager, whose name has not been released, was diagnosed last year with diaphragmatic and axial myoclonus, a rare disorder that causes him to experience seizures in his diaphragm lasting anywhere from thirty minutes to 24 hours. According to the Colorado Springs Independent, which has been talking to the boy and his family, doctors tried out a variety of strong narcotics on the boy, but cannabis was the medicine that worked best.

So the teenager's physician recommended he take THC lozenges that would not get him high, making an exception to the statewide rule that medical marijuana patients have to be eighteen and older. But the move didn't sit well with the boy's local school system. First, the district said he couldn't take the lozenges on school grounds -- so every time the teenager felt an attack coming on, he walked home to medicate. But now, school officials are saying that after he does so, he's not allowed to return to school for the rest of the day.

According to the Independent, even a note from the boy's doctor noting he has no significant side effects from the THC and is functional on this medication has not swayed the district's decision.

Now the boy and his family have taken matters into their own hands, reaching out to their local representatives for assistance -- and help may be on the way. As Republican State Senator Greg Brophy told the Independent, "Tragic. Zero tolerance policies are for people with zero intelligence."

Tags:

Colorado Springs, medical marijuana

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Guest

it's all about discrimination. close-mindedness and ignorance. some employers are the same way.it's absolutley so rediculous it's stupid. i had an employer tell us, the new hires at the time, that there will absolutely be no medical marijuana. that you will be fired. they don't care about the state law and they don't care about our stupid liberal beliefs. now, the said, if you have some kind of pain issues and you take pills, that's ok. but absolutely no marijuana. this is rediculous. marijuana has been proven to be one of the safest narcotics out there and has the most effect. pills, opiates, or synthetic HEROIN has been proven to be highly addictive and deadly. why the F*^K would they be ok and not weed. it's terrible the way people are still stuck on the old late 70's early 80's war on drugs research which ALSO has been debunked but refuse to believe that cause the feds have yet to admit their mistake.

Van002

There should never have a been a question about this. To question it is to condone discrimination. I thought that was a so called zero tolerance issue also.

DrugFree

So, no other kids are taking medications prescribed by their doctor? I'm betting there are. They need to be booted too. NO DRUGS allowed. While we are at it. Take the caffeine and boot anyone addicted to nicotine. NO DRUGS means NO DRUGS. Freakin' addicts.

Denvercruiser

The school has agreed to let the student return to class after medicating, check out the Colorado Independent for details. There should have never even been a question, but at least the school is starting to do the right thing.

Guest

this is good news but in opinion the student should be able to use medicine in school under the supervision of the school nurse or guidance counselor. marijuana after all is medicine and should be treated as medicine when used medicinally. anti-depressants, sleep aids, and narcotics are far more dangerous but they have federally recognized medical uses so they are ok in schools with a valid prescription...makes no sense.