Now keep in mind that we would never suggest giving marijuana in any form to a healthy child, but I also think that these stories are great examples of the wonders that marijuana can do … and without the psychoactive effects typically associated with its use.
Cash Hyde
Cash Hyde was diagnosed with recurring brain tumors when he was just 22 months old. His doctors gave him a 30% chance of surviving even five years and prescribed radiation therapy as a means of preventing his tumors from spreading. To combat the effects of the radiation treatments, he was put on a variety of drugs that included methadone, ketamine and morphine. Unhappy with the prospects, Cash’s parents sought a holistic alternative in the form of cannabis oil and the results have been miraculous to say the least. He successfully went through 30 rounds of radiation without the aide of any medications other than the cannabis oil and the tumors appear to be in remission. According to Cash’s father Mike: “Cancer is a terrible monster. “I was going to do anything to help my child.” (read more here: ABC News) UPDATE: Regrettably, Cash succumbed to his illness at the age of 4, but his parents insist that the cannabis oil provided their son a higher quality of life while he was with them than he would have had otherwise. (read more here: ABC News)
Charlotte Figi
Charlotte Figi is indisputably the biggest example of the healing abilities of medical marijuana in the media today. This adorable little girl suffers from Dravet Syndrome. The extreme form of epilepsy is incredibly rare and was subjecting Charlotte to about 300 grand mal seizures every day. Struggling to find a solution for their child, Charlotte’s mother began researching alternative therapies. While the road was difficult, they ultimately received permission to try cannabis oil and the results were almost immediate.
Mykayla Comstock
Little Mykayla Comstock was a typical 7-year-old until she was diagnosed with leukemia. Initial treatments didn’t seem to be helping and her mother, Erin Purchase, didn’t waste any time seeking alternatives. Medical cannabis rushed to the top of the list and, surprising to no one, Mykayla’s doctors were less than supportive of the idea. After finding one who neither encouraged nor discouraged Mykayla’s mother’s chosen path, she began giving her daughter lime-flavored capsules filled with cannabis oil. Within a matter of months Mykayla’s leukemia was in remission. While no one can say for sure if it was the cannabis that worked or the traditional treatments just finally kicked in but, according to her mother “I don’t think it’s just a coincidence. I credit it with helping — at least helping — her ridding the cancer from her body.” (read more here: ABC News)
Zander Welton
After being born with cortical dysplasia (a frequent cause of epilepsy), Zander was non-verbal and had seizures daily …. that was until his parents started giving him cannabis oil. They tried traditional medicine for years but after he had taken many medications and undergone two brain surgeries no progress had been made. In fact, he was facing a third brain surgery that would have left in paralyzed at best and in a vegetative state at worst. Zander’s parents notice marked improvement once the cannabis oil treatment began. Instead of seizures that would last up to 10 minutes every day, he had only in seven weeks. He also started developing some communication skills. Now, leave it to the government to get involved and try to force the child off the only medication that seems to be helping him. State officials in Arizona determined the products the oil was extracted from were classified as illegal narcotics which, therefore, made the finished oil an illegal narcotic as well. The parents have sued the state with the help of the ACLU. We’ll be watching this one! (read more here: GMA on Yahoo! News)
—–
There’s Stockton May who, like Charlotte Figi, suffers from Dravet Syndrome. Her mother is pushing for a state law that would allow them to import cannabis oil from Colorado in order to help their daughter. (read more here: Yahoo! News)
Vivian Wilson is a 2 year old in New Jersey who is also stricken with the burden of Dravet Syndrome. Due to the states over-cautious approach to the voter referendum that authorized medical marijuana, Vivian’s parents are forced to wait for a dispensary to be approved for the part of the state they live in. They have even made a plea to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie who flat out said that he was “not inclined to allow” this medicine to be dispensed to minors. (read more here” Philly.com)
—–
And the the list goes on. My question is simply this … How many more children will have to suffer from debilitating illnesses that, at the very least, deprive them of a decent quality of life during their time on earth before our country catches up to the science and allows these children and their parents the relief they both seek and deserve?
