A new bill proposed by Terry Johnson (R-McDermott, 14th District) involves adding curriculum to the health courses in K-12 schools to teach children about the harms of vaping, tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana as a means to combat the addiction issue in Ohio. Here are the details about Senate Bill 205:
About Senate Bill 205
Link: Senate Bill 205
- Introduced 12/11/2023
- Referred to Senate Education Committee 12/13/2023
Primary Sponsor: Republican Senator Terry Johnson, District 14
Co-Sponsor: Republican Senator Mark Romanchuk, District 22
Purpose/Title
“To amend section 3313.60 and to enact section 3301.0722 of the Revised Code with regard to instruction in the harmful effects of and legal restrictions against drug abuse, alcoholic beverages, marijuana, and tobacco in schools” (Senate Bill 205 | 135th General Assembly, 2023).
What has Happened Thus Far
Senator Terry Johnson introduced the bill to the Senate Education Committee with a testimony on January 23, 2024:
“In order to effectively fight the war on drugs with gloves off, we need to go
Terry Johnson (R-McDermott, 14th District)
after the demand for drugs, not just the supply. We need an approach that
acknowledges that children are the most impressionable people in our
society, and we are failing them if we are not adequately educating them on
the evils of drugs.
As a first step in curbing this upward path of death and destruction, this bill
will require annual, developmentally appropriate instruction in the harms
of and restrictions against drugs of abuse (including, but not limited to,
marijuana, alcohol, tobacco, and e-cigarettes in addition to more deadly
drugs) to be provided to students attending public schools in Ohio. To
assist schools in accomplishing this effectively, the Department of
Education and Workforce (DEW) will be required to develop a list of
evidence-based curricula, materials, programs, and instructional strategies
related to this topic, which school districts may utilize.”
What the Bill Says
It would ENACT section 3301.0722, as quoted below:
“Sec. 3301.0722. The Department of Education and Workforce, in collaboration with the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, shall conduct a review of available resources and develop a list of evidence-based curricula, materials, programs, and instructional strategies related to the instruction required under division (A)(5)(b) of section 3313.60 of the Revised Code, that school districts may utilize” (Senate Bill 205 | 135th General Assembly, 2023).
It would AMEND section 3313.60, as quoted below:
Sec. 3313.60 states: “Notwithstanding division (D) of section 3311.52 of the Revised Code, divisions (A) to (E) of this section do not apply to any cooperative education school district established pursuant to divisions (A) to (C) of section 3311.52 of the Revised Code” (Senate Bill 205 | 135th General Assembly, 2023).
(A)(5)(b) of section 3313.60 of the Revised Code states: “Annual developmentally appropriate instruction in the harmful effects of and legal restrictions against the use of drugs of abuse, including marijuana, alcoholic beverages, and tobacco, including electronic smoking devices. This instruction shall include information on how both the short-term or chronic use of illicit exogenous substances to alter one’s mood is one of the most harmful things an individual can do for an individual’s health” (Senate Bill 205 | 135th General Assembly, 2023).
What Does This Mean?
The aim is to work on adding curriculum to the health courses in K-12 schools that do not fall under a cooperative education district, which would teach children about the harms of vaping, tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana as a means to combat the addiction issue in Ohio.
According to Motz (2001), “Purchasing cooperatives have long offered Ohio schools opportunities to cut costs while providing the goods and services so essential to successful school operations. Hundreds of districts belong to these cooperatives.” Essentially, cooperative education school districts are owned by “multiple businesses [that] combine their buying requirements onto a single contract and aggregate volume to enhance their purchasing power. [They] can negotiate lower prices, reduce their time spent in procurement and contracting, and benefit from more favorable terms and conditions.”
Ultimately, the curriculum is not yet established, but will be established by the Department of Education and Workforce, in collaboration with the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.
What we do know about the curriculum is that it will include “instruction in the harmful effects of and legal restrictions against the use of drugs of abuse, including marijuana, alcoholic beverages, and tobacco, including electronic smoking devices”.
This instruction shall include “information on how both the short-term or chronic use of illicit exogenous substances to alter one’s mood is one of the most harmful things an individual can do for an individual’s health”.
What Happens Next?
If this bill moves forward, there will be more hearings for testimonies from legislators, as well as the public. You can keep an eye on the Senate Education Committee schedule to see when they will discuss Senate Bill 205 next.
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