Article
One State Now Lets School Nurses Give Medical Pot


In a move High Times says puts Colorado "ahead of the curve" once more on the cannabis front, Gov. John Hickenlooper has OKed a law that lets school nurses administer medical marijuana to students.

The Denver Post reports House Bill 1286 allows a school nurse to give non-smokable medical marijuana to qualifying students, as long as there's a written agreement between the parent and school principal; the parent brings the marijuana to school (kids can't bring it to school with them), along with a doctor's note on when and how to take it; and the medicine is kept in a locked storage unit at the school.

Previously, it was permitted for Colorado parents to come to schools to administer medical marijuana to their children, who often take it for seizures.

In a letter announcing he'd signed the bill, Hickenlooper cited Hannah Lovato and her son, Quintin, as one of the "overwhelmingly persuasive" factors in his decision.

Lovato tells KDVR about the big difference cannabis oil made in the life of Quintin, who suffers from grand mal seizures, as well as other types, and Tourette's syndrome. But she notes it's not working as well as it could because he needs an extra dosage in the middle of the day, when he's in school and she and her husband are at work and unable to administer the meds themselves.

"If a nurse was able to give him that third dose at school, that would … help us out immensely."

The new law doesn't mandate school personnel have to administer the medicine, only that they can without fear of prosecution.

QUESTIONS:
1) Provide the details of House Bill 1286 and how it permits medical marijuana in Colorado schools.

2) Illustrate how the administration of medical marijuana can be done. What was the previous policy like?

3) How favorable will the new law be on the family of Hannah Lovato?

4) What intricacies or merits can be brought about by the dispensation of the cannabis treatment in schools? Cite some examples.

5) How well accepted (or unrecognized) is cannabis as a medical cure in South Korea? Explain your answer.

VOCABULARY/EXPRESSION:
Ahead of the curve - people, products or ideas that are more advanced or modern than others of their kind