Use of cannabis at Calgary public schools still unacceptable as pot becomes legal, superintendent says
The legalization of cannabis on Oct. 17 won't change how the Calgary Board of Education expects its students and staff to behave while on school property, the chief superintendent says.
The CBE's administrative regulations that govern student and staff conduct and that designates all schools as smoke-free environments, have been updated to reflect the new federal law, David Stevenson said at a press conference on Tuesday.
"But the expectation is the same: students arrive — and remain — fit and ready to learn, and employees arrive — and remain — fit and ready to perform work," he said.
The same goes for staff members.
Stevenson said he believes the current regulations align with federal legislation, but they will be continually reviewed.
Under both the student code of conduct and the employee code of conduct, cannabis use at school is forbidden.
"Unacceptable behaviour includes use, possession, distribution, or collection of money for illicit drugs, cannabis, cannabis-infused products, alcohol, or inhalants in school, on school board property or in the context of any school-related activity," says the student code of conduct.
Stevenson also noted that every CBE property is a smoke-free environment, meaning that smoking, vaping and other forms of inhalants are not allowed.
Stevenson says lunch hour is off-limits, too. But what employees and students over 18 do in their free time is up to them.
If a student needs to use prescribed medical marijuana during school hours, the parents, student and school are required to follow the steps outlined in the student health services administrative regulation, which sets out where, when and how that can take place.
