Medical Marijuana & Kids: High as a Kite, Not Flying One
Medical Marijuana & Kids: High as a Kite, Not Flying One
The medical marijuana debate continues. There are now 18 states where medical marijuana is legal and two states (Colorado and Washington) recently legalized recreational use of pot. More people may be looking for prescriptions for medical marijuana. Some of these people’s medical conditions will improve with marijuana; but what if the patient is a child?
In Oregon, 52 children are registered for medical marijuana treatment. One of those children is 7-year-old Mykayla Comstock. She was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia last spring and has been receiving medical marijuana in capsule form since the diagnosis. You may cringe at the thought of a 7-year-old taking marijuana, but Mykayla’s mother, Erin Purchase, fully supports the treatment.
Before you think about taking a pitchfork to this child’s mother, take this into consideration. Mykayla is undergoing chemotherapy to treat her cancer. Losing her hair is the least of her problems.
Chemotherapy can cause the following symptoms:
- Pain
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Depression
- Sleep problems
Medical marijuana has been shown to help some symptoms, like the nausea and loss of appetite some chemotherapy patients experience. It’s sad to know that this little girl has to endure this to stay alive. Mykayla said that the marijuana helps her eat and sleep. However, her father is outraged that her mother is giving her medical marijuana. He said he found his young daughter “stoned out of her mind,” not wanting to do anything but play video games and lie in bed. He has gone as far as contacting child welfare services, the police and his daughter’s oncologist.
This is a difficult situation. On the one hand, this little girl is to fighting for her life, enduring chemotherapy and dealing with all the side effects of the treatment. However, many feel that it is morally wrong to give her this drug because of the harmful side effects of marijuana that may be damaging her developing body, which is also being assaulted by the cancer and the chemotherapy. The great marijuana debate will continue.
Where do you stand on the medical marijuana debate? Share your thoughts below or on Recovery Connection’s Facebook page.