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New law allows school nurses to give kids medical marijuana

School nurses in the US state of Colorado will now be able to administer medical marijuana to students at school, thanks to a new law past just last week.

While medical marijuana has been legal in the state since 2000, this new law will make a huge difference to students who depended on regular doses to reduce various symptoms during school hours.

Like local boy Quintin Lovato, 9, who suffers from epilepsy and Tourette’s syndrome, championed the law after his parents found that three daily doses of CBD oil minimised both his seizures and his vocal tics.

New law allows school nurses to administer medical marijuana. Photo: Getty
New law allows school nurses to administer medical marijuana. Photo: Getty

To clarify, the law signed by Colorado governor John Hickenlooper, only applies to cannabis oil and other “non-smokeable” marijuana like CBD oil.

Students have to have a medical marijuana card and permission in writing from both their parents and principal, Denver Post reports.

And for those concerned about the safety of other children, students are not allowed to carry their dose with them on the bus or on school premises – it will be locked away with the nurses.

Nine-year-old Quintin championed the law. Photo: Facebook/Hannah Lovato
Nine-year-old Quintin championed the law. Photo: Facebook/Hannah Lovato

For the parents of third grader Quintin, who have five children all up and both work full-time, they haven’t been able to give their son the midday dose that he needs to keep from seizing. This bill, which has been nicknamed ‘Quintin’s Amendment’ will change that.

“If a nurse was able to give him that third dose at school, that would open up his medication doses and help us out immensely,” Quintin’s mum Hannah told Fox31 earlier in the year.

“It may mean the difference between where he’s almost seizure-free right now and actually being seizure-free if he was able to get that third dose.”

<span>Quintin suffers from epilepsy and Tourette’s syndrome. </span>Photo: Facebook/Hannah Lovato
Quintin suffers from epilepsy and Tourette’s syndrome. Photo: Facebook/Hannah Lovato

For Quintin, the hours during which he’s at school without his prescription are crucial.

Although his mum cannot be there to give it to him, the option of a nurse being able to do so would be a game-changer — not only for him, but for potentially millions of kids suffering from epilepsy who could benefit nationwide.

Additional reporting by Abby Haglage.

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