20th Anniversary of Landmark Law: Student Right to Self-Carry Inhalers at School
Published: October 11, 2024 Revised: November 27th, 2024

October 2024 marks the 20th anniversary of landmark federal legislation allowing students to self-carry and use their quick-relief asthma inhaler at school.
On Oct. 30, 2004, then-President George W. Bush signed the Asthmatic Schoolchildren’s Treatment and Health Management Act (ASTHMA) into law. Allergy & Asthma Network played a key role in working with federal lawmakers to get this legislation passed in both houses of Congress.
The ASTHMA act gave grant preference to states that adopted legislation to allow students to self-carry and use prescribed asthma inhalers. This led to laws in all 50 states. The laws vary by state, however. Some schools may require written parental and doctor permission to self-carry. They may also require the albuterol prescription be on file at school.

Our work is not done, though. Many parents are still unaware that children with asthma have the right to self-carry an albuterol inhaler at school. Some schools may have policies that directly or indirectly impact students’ right to self-carry.
As Allergy & Asthma Network celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2025, we continue to raise awareness of this important issue with parents and schools.
Why are students with asthma allowed to self-carry their inhaler at school?
It’s critical that schoolchildren with asthma have immediate access to their quick-relief albuterol inhaler. (These are sometimes referred to as rescue inhalers.) Albuterol is a fast-acting medication that people with asthma use when they have a sudden onset of symptoms. This includes an asthma attack. The medicine relaxes and opens airway passages.
Seconds matter when treating an asthma flare. If quick-relief medication is only kept in the school nurse’s office, students who are coughing and wheezing may have to wait precious minutes as the inhaler is retrieved. Or they may need to walk from the classroom or playground to the school nurse office to obtain treatment.
Any delay in treatment of asthma episodes can worsen symptoms. It can increase the risk of hospitalization or death due to asthma. Approximately 10 people per day die from asthma.
How Allergy & Asthma Network supported the ASTHMA Act
From its earliest days, Allergy & Asthma Network advocated for easy access to emergency inhalers. In the mid-1980s, most school policies required inhalers to be locked in the school nurse’s office or clinic.
Many parents told us they encouraged their child to break school rules by self-carrying their inhaler rather than go to the nurse’s office. Their explanation: “Better to get in trouble than die of an asthma attack because you can’t get to your medication.”

In 1987, Allergy & Asthma Network produced a video, “Asthma and Allergies in the School: The Importance of Cooperative Care.” The video helped raise awareness of asthma in school. It launched a grassroots effort that involved surveys, posters, press releases and news articles. Congressional briefings and countless speeches soon followed.
Allergy & Asthma Network worked with federal legislators to support self-carry legislation. This advocacy work culminated in 2004 with the signing of the ASTHMA act.
Current advocacy focuses on stocking albuterol in schools
When the ASTHMA act became law, Allergy & Asthma Network shifted gears. The focus turned to improving access of these quick-relief medications. Our current advocacy work addresses stock albuterol in public schools and other public places.

Stock albuterol allows schools to keep an emergency supply of quick-relief at the school nurse office or clinic. This provides protection for schoolchildren too young to self-carry. It would also safeguard students who either forget or misplace their inhaler.
As of September 2024, 23 states have passed laws allowing schools to stock emergency albuterol inhalers at school.
Q& A about students self-carrying albuterol inhalers
Following are some common questions related to student use of albuterol inhalers in schools.
Can students with asthma use their albuterol inhalers at school?
Yes. Children with asthma not only have the right to self-carry but also self-administer their prescribed albuterol inhaler at school.
Parents should set aside time before the school year to meet with the school nurse. Confirm that state requirements for self-carry are followed at the school.
You may also want to make sure your child’s teachers understand the self-carry law. Emphasize that your child should not be punished for carrying or using their quick-relief inhaler.
How do you know if your child is developmentally ready to self-carry at school?
Begin an open dialogue with your child’s doctor. Talk with the school nurse and teachers to assess your child’s readiness. Your child should know how to properly use the inhaler. And your child must be able to know what to do when symptoms arise.
If your child is not ready to self-carry asthma medication, work together with the school to develop a plan for emergency treatment. Find out if your child’s school has stock albuterol and where the supplies are kept.
How do I prepare to send my child with asthma to school?
Asthma cases often spike in September. So it may be best to begin a dialogue with your child and the school during the summer. Talk about asthma readiness. Develop or update an Asthma Action Plan with your child’s doctor. Then share it with the school district. This way you and your child have a plan in place before school begins.