Marijuana in the classroom? Sometimes it's legal

[FruityBud]

A high school student found to have marijuana in the classroom would seem to be a prime candidate for a little “talk” with the vice principal – and maybe a trip to the police station.

But around the country today, hundreds – perhaps thousands – of high schoolers are bringing pot to school, and they’re doing it legally. Not to get stoned, but as part of prescribed medical treatment. And they don’t have to tell school authorities about it.

This is putting teachers and principals in a new and challenging position. In many counties and school districts, there are no clear guidelines – for school officials, students, or parents.

“This is all just kind of starting to happen,” high school principal Jeff Schlecht told the Ashland Daily Tidings in Oregon. “It does place us in an awkward position.”

For many students, the issue comes as no surprise.

“I’ve known about this for four years,” Ashland senior Wesley Davis, 17, told the newspaper. “Some of them have it for medical reasons, but others are just trying to get free weed and sell it, turn it around.”

Ritalin used as a recreational drug too

A similar problem has been reported with the prescription drug Ritalin, a stimulant used to treat Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) – mostly among boys and young men. But as a recreational drug, Ritalin is known as “Vitamin R” or “R-Ball” – used to stay awake at exam time, to help lose weight, or together with alcohol and other drugs to prolong partying. It can produce effects similar to cocaine and amphetamines.

A study cited by the US Department of Education showed that of 6,000 high school students surveyed in Massachusetts, 13 percent were found to have abused Ritalin. The same study found that 4 percent of middle school students had also abused Ritalin.

The issue is very likely to spread around the country.

Earlier this month, New Jersey became the 14th state to legalize medical marijuana. And whereas the Bush administration had operated under the presumption that federal antidrug laws trumped state medical marijuana statutes, the Obama administration has reversed that position.

"It will not be a priority to use federal resources to prosecute patients with serious illnesses or their caregivers who are complying with state laws on medical marijuana," Attorney General Eric Holder said last October. "But we will not tolerate drug traffickers who hide behind claims of compliance with state law to mask activities that are clearly illegal."

Meanwhile, the California Supreme Court on Thursday rejected limits on medical marijuana imposed by state lawmakers, finding that people with prescriptions for pot can have and grow all they need for personal use.

Marijuana used to treat ADHD

At the same time, doctors have become more inclined to prescribe marijuana (as an alternative to Ritalin) for children diagnosed with ADHD.

It’s a controversial trend among medical practitioners.

“It’s safer than aspirin,” Dr. Jean Talleyrand told the New York Times. Dr. Talleyrand is a marijuana advocate who founded a network of 20 clinics in Oakland, Calif. which dispense medical marijuana – including to teenagers diagnosed with ADHD.

But Stephen Hinshaw, the chairman of the psychology department at the University of California, Berkeley, calls it “one of the worst ideas of all time.”

He cites studies showing that the active ingredient in cannabis disrupts attention, memory and concentration – already issues for people diagnosed with attention-deficit disorder.

In addition to being at the forefront of medical marijuana law, California now is considering legalizing and regulating the general use of marijuana.

A proposed bill would remove marijuana and derivatives from existing statutes defining them as controlled substances and make it legal to possess, sell, and cultivate marijuana by those 21 and older, reports the Monitor’s Daniel B. Wood. It sets up wholesale and retail sales regulation with special fees to fund drug abuse prevention programs. And it bans local and state assistance “in enforcing inconsistent federal and other laws.”

A recent poll in California shows overwhelming public support for the idea.

hxxp://tinyurl.com/yc26y8w

 

[nvthis]

At the same time, doctors have become more inclined to prescribe marijuana (as an alternative to Ritalin) for children diagnosed with ADHD.

It’s a controversial trend among medical practitioners.

“It’s safer than aspirin,” Dr. Jean Talleyrand told the New York Times. Dr. Talleyrand is a marijuana advocate who founded a network of 20 clinics in Oakland, Calif. which dispense medical marijuana – including to teenagers diagnosed with ADHD.

Interesting. I didn't know that or think it was even legal. Dr. Tallyrand signed off on my first rec. So these docs can dispense mj too now? I thought that was some kind of conflict of interest?:confused2: Oh well.

 

[MindzEye]

I can tell you the part about ADHD its a completely valid way of treating ADHD. But some dude at a psychology department who doesnt have ADHD says it doesnt work LOL....

Dr's for most of my child hood gave me ritalin and adderall, both of them are pretty much pharmaceutical speed!! I developed a bad habit of biting my fingernails, I barely had an appetite, I had problems sleeping, and by age 13 I was smoking a pack of cigarettes a day.... So pretty much the Dr was making me a CRACKHEAD! When I became a teenager I refused to take it anymore and started smoking weed.. It calmed me down and really seems to balance me out..

 

[greenfriend]

somebody didnt do there fact checking, doctors clinics cannot dispense mj whatsoever

 

[greenguy]

ADD is a ** diagnosis anyway...and I supposedly have it, what a crock simply a generational phenomena for us kids that grew up in the instant gratification world of video games, computers, internet and such...

get real bud! Weed might be great for alot of things but not everything! Yes Yes I know riderrall is horrible for us...I agree, but mostly disagree at the same time, I can tell you absolutely that it is better for your ADD then weed and using MJ to counter act the riderrall is simply you trying to self medicate the side effects which are minimal if the substance is taken in the right dosages, with food and take every day not just when you feel like it. Honestly which do you get more WORK done on...no doubt the "speed"

I love weed BUT it is not to be defended in EVERY situation and CANNOT take the place of EVERY medication on the shelf lol people will defend weed up and down in any situation which is rediculous and make meddi weed users look ignorant...

Grow up...YES your psychologist's/psychiatrist's degree does make him more knowledgable then yourself! I happen to be one and an avid pot smoker!

ADD is not an excuse to be fried all day! No medical patience NEEDS weed in the classroom...show me ONE life threatening illness where the student is also enrolled in every day classes at a normal highschool and NEEDS to be allowed to have weed on campus...closest illness that fits, although not life threatening would be autism, but still no need for actual weed in the classroom, why not edibles or pills or drops...so as not to draw attention and cause an uproar!

All that said I used to smoke too much and would likely at time have said it was for "ADD", not to mention I have a love hate relationship with ridderall and actually wrote a 20pg paper in college about how bad I thought it was for our generation, but I will point out that I was under the influence of the substance while writing the paper lol

whatever you figure it out

 

[MeatnCheese]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Personally I don't care if a bunch of kids are mellow on good brownies or if they have to take pills to chill out. I would rather not have my niece and nephew see a group of kids smoking in the class room, that crap belongs outside though.

Otherwise, whatever it takes for people to feel normalized, I say go for it. The moment that crosses the line and the people start acting like a fool is when I start to have a problem with it. I also have issues with it when people blame drugs, or blame society for their shortcomings.

If it works for them, I say more power to them. Eat your brownie at recess and lunch and live normal. If it doesn't work for them...I.E. they don't need it...keep it out of school.

By the way, I am not known for popular opinion. But, it is my opinion none the less.

 

[fellowsped]

Ridd and Adderol are making junkies out of kids. I can't tell you how many of my friends who took that **** when they were kids turned into junkies. I'm not saying that it has no place for the treatment of add or adhd but alot of doctors will hand out scripts to kids who don't pay attention in school. Problem is half of them are just disrespectfull little $%%*heads that needed a hand across the bum to solve the problem and not speed. But whatever do what you want but my kid would be allowed to try to take a couple hits to chill him out before i would give him a script to go get zipped out on and sell at school.

 

[Super Skunk]

Fellowsped, I agree with you... I was diagnosed with ADD as a child. The school made my parents take me to a doctor for this. The doctor perscribed Adderol. We took the perscription and left. In the car my father said he had a perscription that worked much better than that. When we got home he filled that perscription. It consisted of his belt and my posterior section. He was absolutely right! From that moment on I did not seem to have any more problems with that ADD stuff. It was truely amazing, I began addressing teachers and all elders as sir or mam' , no more detention, horseplaying, and I began making straight A's. Now I am no doctor, but I also believe that somehow the kids that actually do have this problem will have a very tough row to hoe. This in my oppinion is sad. So it is ultimately up to the parent to decide, does my child really have a problem? Or does the child just need to be set in the right direction...

 

[Bubs420]

I agree Super Skunk. Some kids just need some good ole discipline. My son was diagnosed with ADD and ADHD, and trust me he gets his butt wooped when he needs it. He's has never been aloud to just sit in front of tv/video games. At home I can handle both but at school it was affecting his learning, I made him repeat the 4th grade and the dr put him on adderal. He went from being a d's and f's kid to have all a's and one c. My daughter has always been an a's and b student but at home i just want to hog tie her, so she will settle down. I have given thought to just sitting them down and hand them a bowl just to mellow them out.

I think some need it and others just want an easy fix to the problem.