NORTHEAST — The North East School Division is changing some policy wording with the legalization of cannabis, but from a student’s perspective nothing will change.
“We’re revising a number of them,” said Don Rempel, the division's director of education. “Things haven’t changed a whole lot from a student’s perspective. The age of 19 is legal for use of drugs or alcohol, so our policies would not have to change in that area. Just because it became legal rather than illegal, it’s still not suitable for a student to be consuming drugs or alcohol in the school or on school grounds, etc.”
“We just updated some wording.”
Should a student be found under the influence of drugs or alcohol the same steps will continue to be taken as it has in the past.
“You do an investigation,” Rempel said. “If you suspect a student is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, [you] do an investigation, make a determination if that is indeed the case, contact the parents, provide support to the family for addiction counselling if required.”
This will result in a suspension for the student.
“It’s unacceptable to be under the influence while attending school, so there would usually be a result in suspension from school for a period of time. The principal has the discretion to suspend a student up to 10 days but usually a suspension would be accompanied by an intervention as well.”
Rempel expects drug education to change this year with the focus on cannabis, but that will be in the classroom, not in the policy with the school board.
“[There will] probably a greater emphasis on the harmful effects of drugs and alcohol and that brain development up to the age of 25; you’re very vulnerable if you consume drugs or alcohol or cannabis,” Rempel said. “That is well outlined in our health curriculum already, to that message is already there. Probably a greater emphasis on the area of cannabis just because of the attention that is being put on the topic right now in Canada.”
The Saskatchewan Medical Association recommended the legal minimum age be set to 25 to purchase cannabis, due to the harmful effects it has on a developing brain.
According to provincial law, a youth in possession of cannabis will be fined $360 and consuming cannabis on K-12 school grounds or a child care facility is a fine of $1,400. These include the victim surcharge.
