Debate Over Medical Marijuana In Schools Begins At State Capitol

DENVER (CBS4)- State lawmakers began a debate on Friday over whether to allow children to bring medical marijuana to school.

The bill passed out of committee with a unanimous vote. It went to the state House floor for debate on Friday evening. It was given initial approval and needs one more vote before heading to the state Senate.

The bill is designed to help the nearly 500 children who use medical marijuana for debilitating conditions like seizures and muscle spasms. Many of those children have moved to Colorado with their families specifically to have access to medical marijuana.

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Those children take a special strain that is low in THC but high in cannabinoids, what is believed to help relieve their symptoms.

Right now many of those children aren't able to to go school because schools are "Drug Free Zones" and the laws don't differentiate between medical marijuana and recreational marijuana.

The legislation would make exceptions for children who have a doctor's note.

"So the way it would work is either a parent, or nurse the child works with would be able to go into the school and administer it to that child. No one is smoking up here. These area small tinctures that go under-the-tongue or a patch that goes on someone's arm, but this came to my attention from a woman in Jeffco whose quadriplegic son has serious muscle dystonia, can barely move, and has horrible, horrible muscle spasms that are pushing his arms in different directions. This medicine is not only saving his life but keeping him in school," said Rep. Jonathan Singer, a Democrat representing Longmont.

The bill also establishes a state registry of medical marijuana caregivers who would have to meet certain requirements and limits them to 99 plants each. Right now there is no limit.