St. Johns County family calls for school districts to allow medical marijuana on campus

A St. Johns County family is calling for a change to the school district’s medical marijuana policy.

Under the district’s current policy, their 14-year-old daughter, Haleigh McKee, must leave campus to take her prescribed medical marijuana.

Action News Jax found out St. Johns County is the only local school district that even has a medical marijuana policy.

“I really want to grow up and be successful and get a job,” said Haleigh.

But she said St. Johns County School District’s policy is interrupting her education.

Haleigh was diagnosed with a rare neurological syndrome three years ago.

She takes a medical marijuana tincture three times a day to help with tremors, nausea and anxiety.

The district’s policy does not allow students or staff to bring or store medical marijuana on campus.

“Which means I have to load her wheelchair -- because she’s in a wheelchair -- take her off school grounds, give her her medication, bring her back, put her back in her wheelchair, and check her back in, in the middle of her day,” said Haleigh’s mother Viki McKee.

Though medical marijuana is legal in Florida, it has not been legalized by the federal government.

The school district said its hands are tied by the federal Controlled Substances Act and the Drug-Free Workplace Act Of 1988.

Spokespeople for the school districts in Duval, Nassau, Clay, Putnam and Baker counties told Action News Jax their districts do not have medical marijuana policies.

This week, in Central Florida, the Volusia County School Board decided to consider a policy that would allow students to take their prescribed medical marijuana on campus.

“It’s time. It’s been time,” said Viki McKee.

She said she hopes local districts are paying attention to Volusia County.

Cox Media Group