Washington Bill Would Allow Medical Marijuana at Schools

By William Stash Jones

Oregon Cannabis Connection

An elementary school in Aberdeen Washington, along with other schools in the state, may allow medical marijuana at their campus during school hours. A proposal in the state’s capitol in Olympia would provide for parents to administer the medication on school grounds.

John Barclay’s 7-year-old daughter, River, attends AJ West Elementary school in Aberdeen and suffers from seizures. Medical marijuana is the one effective medication that she takes to keep those seizures under control. The miraculous medicine, which is especially high in cannabidiol (CBD), helps shorten the length and severity of the seizures which can last up to four minutes when untreated with cannabis.

“”It’s liquid gold,” Barclay told King 5 News in Washington. “She was brilliant in kindergarten, then seizures and (traditional) medication interfered with that.”

Barclay medicates his daughter with cookies, which he makes himself using a high CBD oil he gets at a dispensary. The oil is non-psychotropic since CBD counteracts those effects which are caused by Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.

“It’s absolutely vital,” Barclay told KOMO News. “She wouldn’t be here today.”

The dosages that are required, and the frequency of administration, means that River needs a dose at noon while she is still in school. Currently Barclay picks up his daughter and takes her home for lunch, administering the medicine there. But, due to the disruption at the school, River does not return and misses the second half of the school day.

He contacted Brian Blake (D – Aberdeen), his representative in Olympia, to see what could be done. The result is House Bill 1060, which would allow children to receive medical marijuana at school provided they meet state requirements to be a medical marijuana patient.

“He wanted is daughter to attend school all day and wanted a way to have schools allow for that,” Blake explained to KOMO News. “The school districts,I think, may have some angst and we just want to remove any angst they may have.”

The bill is currently in the House education committee for consideration.

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