School division gets ready for cannabis legalization

Chinook’s Edge School Division (CESD) officials are currently working on revisions of administrative procedures and policies to deal with the pending legalization of cannabis.

Updates are being made to the student substance abuse procedure 3-11, student suspension or expulsion procedure 3-15, and other procedures and policies, says Shawn Russell, associate superintendent of corporate services.

"We update our procedures on a regular basis and we will be looking to update them as they relate to the new cannabis legislation,” said Russell.

"As well as 3-11 and 3-15, we will also have to look at updating the procedures as they relate to employees in relation to the new legislation.

"We will certainly be getting advice from our legal counsel to make sure our policies and procedures align with the details of the regulations as they come out over the next months.”

Division officials working on the updates recently attended a session put on by a law firm on the topic of marijuana legalization, he said.

"There are still a lot of details that need to be worked out. They (governments) are building the plane as they fly it,” he said.

Asked if students who are 18 or older will be allowed to possess cannabis on school properties, he said no.

"It would be no different for someone who is over 18 cannot possess alcohol on school property,” he said. "We have the right to not have it on our premises. That would apply to everyone.”

Current procedure 3-11 states, in part, that, "The division believes student use of alcohol and non-prescription drugs is detrimental to the learning process and is therefore prohibited in schools, on school property or during school-related activities.”

Recreational cannabis use is scheduled to become legal in Canada on July 1, 2018.

Associate superintendent Russell said he is confident all necessary changes will be in effect by that time.

There are 43 schools in Chinook’s Edge School Division.