The Hancock County Board of Education has adopted a new policy in regard to the possession and use of hemp-based products, including CBD and THC.
This policy will go into effect Tuesday.
The decision comes as part of an ongoing effort to align with evolving school regulations as well as state and federal laws overseeing cannabis.
The updated policy, which was approved during the board’s most recent meeting, aims to provide clarity on the handling of hemp derived products in school settings.
“I don’t want to speak for the board, but we talk about this daily,” Superintendent Dan Enich said. “And there is a problem, and all schools with hemp-based products with the THC, and I think that our principals are doing a good job at identifying it and getting it to the right people, getting it to the counselors, and getting it to the board of education, getting it to me, so that we can take action.”
The policy was developed in compliance with West Virginia code, which stipulates that individuals under the age of 21 who possess hemp-derived cannabinoid products are guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment, or both. The school’s policy further specifies that a violation may result in an out-of-school suspension of up to 10 days, with a recommendation for expulsion.
“No events and, if it’s an older kid, no prom, no athletic teams,” Enich said. “They end up not wanting to be expelled for a year, but they’re not getting the message that we are going to be strict and now we’re going to be stricter about this. So, this is not going to be anything that is going to be washed under.”
Hancock County schools have vape sensors in bathrooms. Enich said it boils down to the health of the students.
“We don’t want the health of the student to be affected in the short term or the long term,” Enich said. “And that also includes the other students in the classrooms that may be affected by the actions of the one student that’s taking the drugs. We don’t want the innocent students or staff members to be afflicted by anything that might happen with somebody under the influence.”
Source: https://www.wtov9.com/news/local/hancock-county-schools-adopts-new-policy-on-hemp-and-thc-products
