08/09/2022
๐ฐ ๐ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ก๐ฒ๐๐ |
The governor of California signed a bill on Tuesday that includes provisions mandating that social workers who are called to investigate child welfare handle parental ma*****na use in the same way that they do for alcohol.
Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D) sponsored the legislation, which is one of about a dozen cannabis-related bills that have been sent to Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) in recent weeks.
Under the now-enacted law, the state Department of Social Services (DSS) is required to update โall regulations, all-county letters, and other instructions relating to the investigation of a minorโ to stipulate that โwhen a social worker is investigating an alleged case of child abuse or neglect, a parentโs or guardianโs use or possession of cannabis is treated in the same manner as a parentโs or guardianโs use or possession of alcohol and legally prescribed medication.โ
In some states, parental ma*****na consumption can be used as a justification for removing custody, even if there is no indication of danger to the child.
Jones-Sawyer said in a summary for the bill that โcannabis use alone should not be a basis for state intervention into family life.โ
โAs is the case with alcohol and prescription medication, parents and guardians should be allowed to safely and legally use cannabis without fear of having their children permanently removed from their care, provided there are no other concerns regarding the childโs safety,โ he said.
According to a study published in April, legalizing ma*****na for adult use is associated with at least a 10 percent decrease in foster care admissions on average, including reductions in placements due to physical abuse, neglect, parental incarceration and misuse of alcohol and other drugs.
Further, if cannabis was legalized nationally, the study authors estimated that would result in hundreds of millions of dollars in estimated cost savings for foster care systems every year.
Back in California, the state NORML chapter praised the new law.