Colorado schools bulk up staff in marijuana-prevention push

DENVER – Colorado has given 42 school districts and charter schools a combined $9.2 million to hire people and create programs to keep marijuana out of the hands of students.

The Denver Post reports (http://dpo.st/2wzAAB0 ) the money is going to schools located near legal pot shops and is funded by proceeds from marijuana sales.

Districts are hiring nurses, social workers and counsellors with the grant money to discourage underage marijuana use.

The Jefferson County School District plans to hire six social emotional learning specialists and three school nurses. Student services director Jon Widmeir says the district is trying to get ahead of a growing need for those services.

A state advisory committee found more than 5 per cent of high school students in Colorado use marijuana daily. That’s about the same rate as in 2005.

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Information from: The Denver Post, http://www.denverpost.com