Colorado teen battles to attend school and continue medical pot use

A Colorado teen has been told that if he consumes his legal medical marijuana, he cannot attend classes at his school or he will be “in internal possession” of the drug.

According to the Colorado Independent, Michigan Messenger’s sister site, the boy has been prescribed the medical pot to control his rare neurological condition diaphragmatic and axial myoclonus. A letter from his physician shows that the teenager has tried numerous other medications to intervene with the condition which causes seizures that can last 24 hours or more.

Treatment: Sinemet 25/100 mg tablets, 2 tablets by mouth three times per day Zoloft 50mg at bedtime THC 10-50mg as needed for episode of breakthrough myoclonus

Rationale: Failure to respond to a host of other medications including Keppra, clonazepam, valium, morphine, benadryl, Xanax, inhaled lidocaine, Dilantin, Tegretol, Depakote, Flexeril, Artane, IVlg and Solumedrol. Previously, (redacted name) was taking benzodiazepines while at school for episodes of breakthrough myoclonus which was sedating and ineffective to control the symptoms. We now have (redacted name) on a medication regimen which actually helps reduce the frequency and duration of his spells, and have found a medication which reliably aborts the attacks (THC) when they occur.

He has no significant side effects to the THC and is functional on this medication. I strongly recommend that (redacted name) return to school on his current medication regimen and be allowed to take the THC which has been prescribed by a physician to treat his medical condition.

But school officials have said if the student takes his THC lozenges, he can’t attend school.

“They say if he takes his medicine it is ‘internal possession’ and he cannot come back to school,” the teenager’s father told The Colorado Independent. The boy attends Sierra High School.

This is just the latest salvo in the war over medical marijuana in the country. Here in Michigan, a man with a brain tumor was fired from a Battle Creek Walmart for testing positive for medical marijuana. That case is currently being litigated. Also here in Michigan, a Jackson woman was booted from an apartment because of her medical marijuana use.

But individual use of the medicinal plant is not the only target. Many municipalities in the state have created moratoriums to prevent medical marijuana dispensaries from opening their doors while the cities review the law and try to figure out how to properly manage medical marijuana. Other cities have instituted all out bans which have resulted in lawsuits. And the Drug Enforcement Agency has raided at least two medical marijuana patient caregiver locations including one in Meridian Township which used Michigan National Guard Blackhawk Attack Helicopters as back up.