Pot-in-schools bill clears legislative hurdle

Colorado schools would be forced to allow students to use medical pot under a bill that has cleared its first hurdle at the state Legislature.

The bill updates a new law that gives school districts the power to permit medical marijuana treatments for students under certain conditions. Patient advocates call the law useless because none of Colorado’s 178 school districts currently allows such use.

Colorado would be the second state to require schools to accommodate medical pot as long as it is in non-smokeable form and is administered by a nurse or caregiver.

School officials testified against the requirement, saying marijuana remains illegal under federal law. But dozens of parents packed a Monday hearing to say their children are unable to attend school because schools forbid marijuana treatments. The bill passed 10-3.