Marijuana (Photo: Katheirne Hitt/Flickr)
Toms River school officials are set to vote this week on a policy that would set parameters for medical marijuana use by students.
The proposed policy, which appears on an agenda for the Board of Education meeting Wednesday night, would allow a parent of primary caregiver to administer medical marijuana to a student while on school grounds, a school bus or attending a school-sponsored event. The policy stems from legislation passed last year that mandates districts to enact policies that allow the administration of medical marijuana to students.
According to the proposal, both the student and parent or primary caregiver must be authorized by the state Department of Health, respectively, to take and administer medical marijuana. Parents wishing to administer marijuana to their children would be required to notify the school principal, who would consult with the school nurse, physician and superintendent before providing written approval with the parameters under which the substance would be used.
Marijuana would be able to be administered on school grounds, on a school bus or during school-sponsored activities. The policy calls a parent to remain in possession of the drug except when physically administering it to their child.
“The primary caregiver shall comply with the requirements of the principal’s written approval,” the policy states.
Board of Education members will consider the policy’s introduction at meeting Wednesday. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. at Toms River High School North, 1245 Old Freehold Road. Policies must receive a second approval at a later meeting before becoming official.
