Richmond school trustees assured a representative from a Richmond-based cannabis legalization concern group that schools are prepared for legalization and have policies in place to keep them weed-free after Oct. 17.
Thomas Leung, on behalf of the 2018 Marijuana Legalization Concern Group, spoke at a Richmond school board meeting Wednesday night asking trustees to adopt five requests to ensure cannabis doesn’t make it into schools or into students’ hands.
After his presentation, trustees said they already had appropriate policies in place to deal with substances like cannabis, alcohol and tobacco.
“We’ve got it covered,” Debbie Tablotney said. “I’m actually confident that legalization will make it safer. It will be under provincial and federal scrutiny … Hopefully that decreases the number of students that get their hands on it and do try it.”
Leung wanted to prevent students from having “easy access” to cannabis after legalization. He asked that trustees bar students and staff from bringing cannabis products, including edibles, into schools; that they provide education on the effects of pot; that they prohibit signs and images that could encourage cannabis use and that they work with health authorities to support kids with substance abuse problems.
“[Legalization] is in three weeks’ time,” Leung said. “We want to come here to this school district to make sure this is well taken care of.”
Trustees assured him that current policies prohibit controlled substances in schools, and that wouldn’t change after legalization.
“Just like other substances that are controlled under the drug act, there is no place in school, for any reason, for students or staff to be in possessions of those things,” superintendent Sherry Elwood said.
The school board already works in conjunction with Richmond Addiction Services Society, Elwood said, connecting them with resources for substance abuse problems.
Trustee Eric Yung also noted Richmond has ample drug education, being the only school district that still has mandatory DARE sessions for Grade 5 kids.
Trustees thanked Leung for airing his concerns and unanimously referred the Marijuana Legalization Concern Group’s letter to the superintendent for further discussion.
