Sixth Grader Permitted to Consume Medical Cannabis in School
One 11-year-old in Illinois, who experiences seizures as a result of her chemotherapy treatments, is now allowed to medicate with cannabis while she’s at school.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Ashley Surin suffers from seizures regularly, and so far, has only found relief with medical cannabis. Previously, she has not been allowed to medicate on campus, but a recent lawsuit led a judge to rule in favor of Ashley and her right to have access to CBD medicine. An agreement was made between Judge John Robert Blakey and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan to let the young elementary school student medicate while they iron out the details.
Both Ashley and her family are extremely surprised and thrilled. “I’m in pinch-me mode,” Ashley’s mother, Maureen Surin, told the Chicago Tribune. “I’m excited. This is not just going to help her; I hope it’s going to help other kids down the road.”
Right now, this is just a special provision. However, attorneys in the state believe it could set a precedent that would also help future medical patients. Ashley has experienced seizures since she began treatment for her cancer, one of which caused her to fall and hit her head. Taking a slew of medications didn’t help her, but once she tried cannabis back in December (through the use of a cannabis patch on her foot and applying cannabis oil to both of her wrists), her condition began to improve drastically.
“She can think better, walk better, talk better,” Maureen said of her daughter’s improving condition. “Her brain used to be like in a cloud. Now she can think clearer; she’s more alert; she can interact, and she seems like she can now go back to school and learn and not be in a cloud on all those previous medicines.”
In light of this news, and the fact that doctors are studying cannabis-based seizure treatments more closely, it seems that we can expect a lot more legalized medical consumption in 2018.
