The Osceola County School Board voted to accept a medical marijuana policy tonight. That means students will be able to have medical marijuana on campus with a registry ID card.
Board Member Kelvin Soto says the district is simply following the state statue that requires each school district to have a policy for administering the low-THC form of the drug to students with an approved registry ID. But Soto says it’s also the humane thing to do for students who have qualifying medical conditions like nausea from chemotherapy or chronic pain.
“Even if it was optional I would think school districts would want their children to be well and do well. And if medical marijuana can do that this shouldn’t be an issue.”
The drug cannot be stored on campus and cannot be given to a child on a school bus or on a field trip. Osceola joins Volusia and Orange Counties in adopting a medical marijuana policy.
Board member Ricky Jones says only parents or guardians with registry ID cards will be allowed to administer the drug.
“We want to protect the kids who are registered to use it but we also want to protect our staff. But even this oil at my understanding is illegal at the federal level.”
Medical marijuana is still classified as a class one controlled substance by the federal government, on par with heroin or psychedelics.
Osceola joins Orange and Volusia counties in adopting similar policies.
