In accordance with RCW 28A.210.325, the Seattle School Board permits parents/guardians to administer marijuana-infused products to a student who meets Washington’s statutory requirements for medical marijuana while the student is on school grounds, aboard a school bus, or attending a school-sponsored event.  Among other criteria, the law only applies to students under the age of 18 who suffer from a terminal or debilitating medical condition.

Under circumstances where it is necessary for a student to take medical marijuana while on school grounds, aboard a school bus, or attending a school-sponsored event, the student’s school will do the following:

• School will familiarize themselves with the Washington State medical marijuana recognition cards (“recognition cards”).  See definition below for additional information.
• School will verify that the student and parent/guardian meet the statutory requirements by requiring presentation of valid Washington recognition cards for medical marijuana under RCW 69.51A.220.  The student must have a valid recognition card confirming them as “Minor Patient”, and the parent/guardian must have a valid recognition card confirming them as the “Designated Provider”.
• Once status has been verified, school will present to the parent/guardian a “SPS Medical Marijuana Authorization Form” for completion to indicate health care provider information, expiration date of the recognition card, and outline the frequency, time, location, and manner of administration.  The “SPS Medical Marijuana Authorization Form” shall be valid until the recognition card(s) expiration date or the end of the current school year, whichever occurs first.
• School will designate a private location in the school building where the parent/guardian can administer the medical marijuana, most often in the nurse’s office or a private room in the main office.
• School will maintain a file with the student’s “SPS Medical Marijuana Authorization Form” and copies of both recognition cards.
• School will ensure that any person listed to administer medical marijuana on a student’s “SPS Medical Marijuana Authorization Form” must also be listed in PowerSchool as the student’s parent/guardian.

A parent/guardian of a student who meets the statutory requirements to receive medical marijuana at school will do the following:

• Upon arrival at school to administer the medical marijuana to their student, the parent/guardian must follow visitor sign-in procedures and will be prepared to verify their identity upon request.  The school will use a specific sign-in sheet for this purpose and will record the expiration date(s) of the recognition cards for student and designated provider on the sign-in sheet to confirm they are not expired upon each visit to the school.
• Parent/guardian must carry medical marijuana in child resistant packaging or in the original container from the medically endorsed store with all warnings, directions, and serving size information intact.
• Parent/guardian must remove all medical marijuana from school campus, school bus, or school field trip immediately following administration. Medical marijuana may not be stored at school.
• Parent/guardian must administer in a way that does not create disruptions to the educational environment or cause other students to be exposed to medical marijuana. The use of medical marijuana by smoking or other methods involving inhalation is prohibited.
• Schools must work with the parent/guardian to establish a process for administration aboard a school bus or while attending a school-sponsored event within Washington State, as needed.

Restrictions, Limitations, and Liability

Medical marijuana-infused products may cause impairment.  Students exhibiting signs of intoxication will be removed from class to not disrupt the educational environment. Students using medical marijuana under this policy must not drive a personal vehicle or park a vehicle on school or district property.

Students are banned from possession, use, distribution, sale, or being under the influence of a marijuana in any manner that is inconsistent with the provisions of this procedural directive for qualified use for medical marijuana. A student who makes a fraudulent representation to a school about their participation in a medical use of marijuana program may be denied permission for future access to medical marijuana in a school setting. Students who possess or self-administer marijuana may be subject to discipline as any other student without a recognition card would be.

A school or the district may not discipline a student who is a qualified student solely on the basis that the student requires medical marijuana as a reasonable accommodation necessary for the student to attend schools.

A copy of this procedure and related policy shall be available online and will be provided to parents/guardians upon request.

Definitions:

Minor Patient (Student): Patients under the age of 18 who have been diagnosed by a health care professional as having a terminal or debilitating medical condition and have been authorized by that health care provider to receive medical marijuana products. Minor patients are required by law to have a designated provider and to be entered into the medical marijuana database.

Designated Provider: A person who is twenty-one years of age or older and is the parent or guardian of a qualifying patient who is under the age of eighteen; or has been designated by the qualifying patient to purchase, provide or grow marijuana for the patient and has an authorization from the patient’s healthcare practitioner. A designated provider can only serve one patient at any one time.

Marijuana-infused products: Products that contain marijuana or marijuana extracts, are intended for human use, are derived from marijuana and have a THC concentration no greater than ten percent. The term “marijuana-infused products” does not include either useable marijuana (dried marijuana flowers) or marijuana concentrates (products consisting wholly or in part of the resin extracted from any part of the plant Cannabis and having a THC concentration greater than ten percent). Under RCW 28A.210.325, administration of medical marijuana to a student by smoking or other methods involving inhalation while the student is on school grounds, aboard a school bus, or attending a school-sponsored event is prohibited.

Washington State Medical Marijuana Recognition card: A card issued to qualifying patient and designated provider by a marijuana retailer with a medical marijuana endorsement that has entered the qualifying patient and designated provider into the medical marijuana authorization database.  View sample cards.

For qualifying patients who are under the age of eighteen and their designated providers, recognition cards are valid for six months from the date the health care professional issued the authorization. Qualifying patients may not be reentered into the medical marijuana authorization database until they have been reexamined by a health care professional and determined to meet the definition of a qualifying patient. After reexamination, a marijuana retailer with a medical marijuana endorsement must reenter the qualifying patient or designated provider into the medical marijuana authorization database and a new recognition card will then be issued in accordance with department rules.

Policy Cross References

• 3423 – Parent/Guardian Administration of Marijuana for Medical Purposes

Approved

• January 8, 2021