15-712. Instruction on alcohol, tobacco, narcotic drugs, marijuana, date rape drugs and other dangerous drugs; chemical abuse prevention programs; definitions

A. Instruction on the nature and harmful effects of alcohol, tobacco, narcotic drugs, marijuana, date rape drugs and other dangerous drugs on the human system and instruction on the laws related to the control of these substances and the nonuse and prevention of use and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, narcotic drugs, marijuana, date rape drugs and other dangerous drugs may be included in the courses of study in common and high schools, with emphasis on grades four through nine. Instruction on the nature and harmful effects of alcohol, tobacco, narcotic drugs, marijuana, date rape drugs and other dangerous drugs on a human fetus may be included in the courses of study in grades six through twelve. The instruction may be integrated into existing health, science, citizenship or similar studies and shall meet the criteria for chemical abuse prevention education programs developed pursuant to subsection C of this section.

B. At the request of a school district, the department of education shall provide technical assistance to school districts that choose to implement programs to prevent chemical abuse.

C. The department of education and the department of health services, in consultation with the committee established pursuant to section 41-617, shall establish an interagency committee to coordinate their assistance to school districts.

D. The state board of education may accept gifts and grants and shall distribute them and monies appropriated for chemical abuse prevention programs to school districts to assist with the costs of programs designed to prevent chemical abuse by pupils in kindergarten programs and grades one through twelve. School districts which have approved chemical abuse prevention policies and procedures as prescribed in section 15-345 are eligible for a maximum of one dollar for each pupil or one thousand dollars, whichever is more. If sufficient monies are not available to meet all requests, the state board shall determine which school districts to fund based on need, availability of other programs or sources of revenue and the likelihood of the school district's proposed program successfully meeting needs identified by the school district. A school district shall include the monies it receives for chemical abuse prevention programs under this section in the special projects section of the budget as provided in section 15-903, subsection F.

E. For the purpose of this section:

1. " Date rape drug" means a drug prescribed in section 13-3401, paragraph 30, subdivisions (f) through (m).

2. " Narcotic drug" , " marijuana" and " dangerous drug" have the same meaning prescribed in section 13-3401.