Law affirms kids' rights to in-school medications

Advertiser Staff

A bill signed into law this week by Gov. Linda Lingle protects the rights of public school students to carry asthma inhalers or auto-injectable epinephrine for allergies.

There were no rules against self-medication at school, but the newly enacted Act 19 (House Bill 2198 HD1) makes it clear students with these potentially life-threatening ailments can take steps to prevent, control, or relieve symptoms associated with asthma or other chronic conditions, provided they have medical and parental authorization.

Baldwin High School sophomore Cory Tumpap, 15, who died March 25 after an asthma attack at home, always carried inhalers in his backpack. His mother, Janice Tumpap of Wailuku, Maui, said it was never an issue for her son, but she thinks it's a good idea to have a law that says it's OK for children to possess these prescribed medications at school.

"Kids know when they need it and they need to have it available all the time," she said.

Among the bill's supporters were the Hawai'i State Teachers Association, the national Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics, the state Departments of Education and Health, and the Windward O'ahu Asthma Coalition.

In legislative testimony, Debbie Odo of the American Lung Association of Hawai'i noted that asthma is the most common chronic health condition affecting school-aged children in Hawai'i. She said students need "instant access" to their medications.