Mother Under Fire for Allowing Her Child Cannabis Use for Ailments

A mother in Minnesota is facing endangerment charges for giving her child medical cannabis, even though it is the only thing that helps his pain. 

Trey Brown is fifteen, and suffered a traumatic head injury at a baseball game three years ago. Although the injury happened during an informal game with friends, Trey frequently experiences intense pain throughout his entire head, and the pain results in seizures and muscle spasms in addition to the headaches. According to Brown, the pain was so debilitating that he was suffering suicidal thoughts and self-harm—and no medication he’d been trying for three years in Minnesota had any effect. 

Trey’s parents visited Boulder, Co and brought back some cannabis oil for Trey to try. According to Brown, this was the only thing that had any effect on the pain. However, after he shared the happy news at school, his teachers were not as thrilled as he was, and subsequently called the police on the Brown family. 

“The prosecutor’s version of this is that a good mom allows her child to be in pain, to self-harm, and attempt to take his life,” Angela Brown, Trey’s mother, told CBS News. “I guess that’s a good mom in [their] eyes.” 

The Browns plan to move to Colorado so that Trey can keep getting the medicine he needs. They also want to ensure their son has safe access to the specific strain that helps alleviate the pain. However, if the charges of endangering her son go through and Angela is convicted, she will face up to two years in prison and a $6,000 fine. 

Minnesota is on its way to reformed cannabis laws, but in the meantime, residents like the Browns are facing legal woes instead of support and facilitation in treatment. Hopefully, a move to a supportive community and continued access to needed cannabis oil will help the Brown family gain the strength and resolve needed to fight these charges.