‘Marijuana Refugees’ Move to Colorado for Cannabis Oil to Treat Epilepsy

When I first heard Democracy Now’s headline about “marijuana refugees” moving to Colorado, I, of course, thought of stoners who want to freely buy weed from a retail outlet, but the riveting story on Democracy Now focused on families that are leaving their homes in other states to get access to a particular cannabinoid oil that has been shown to be effective in controlling epileptic seizures.

That’s just plain stupid. Not getting cannabis oil– but having to leave your home, your job, and all of your friends to move across the country to gain access to an herbal remedy that can help your child lead a normal life.

Little Madeleine, who was featured on the show, had exhausted the available medical therapies and was facing brain surgery to remove half of her brain, when her mother heard about cannabis oil and decided to move to Colorado to obtain it. With cannabis oil, Madeleine went from suffering hundreds of seizures per day to being able to function as a normal child. (Check out the video, and you’ll see Madeleine and her smiling, happy Mom.)

From Democracy Now…

According to the Colorado Springs Gazette, at least 115 “marijuana refugee families” from 43 states have left jobs, homes and family so they could obtain the cannabis oil to treat a variety of ailments.

The big controversy with this use of cannabis is that it’s not a research-based treatment and not controlled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The glowing news reports and social media posts provide anecdotal evidence that cannabis oil can control seizures. Where are the clinical trials of this and other medical uses of marijuana? No where– because marijuana is still listed as a schedule 1 drug. Thanks to President Richard Nixon and the Controlled Substances Act, marijuana was put in the most dangerous drug category and labeled as having no redeeming medical value. Pretty much all research stopped after this law was passed in the 1970s. Research is still illegal without special permission and jumping through all sorts of hoops to obtain the weed to test.

With medical marijuana legal in 20 states plus the District of Columbia, recreation use of marijuana legal in two states, new findings about medical uses for marijuana popping up everyday, and millions of marijuana users nationwide, it’s time for the US to end its schizophrenic marijuana policies.

Here is a plant– a weed– that pretty much grows anywhere, and in two states you can buy it and use it freely, and everywhere else you’ll get arrested? What sense does that make? Madeleine and her Mom should not have had to leave Virginia to get treatment.

Let’s face it. The War on Drugs was an epic failure. It’s time to cast-off Nixon’s absurd schedule 1 category for marijuana, open up marijuana research, and legalize personal use and cultivation.

Here are the links to Democracy Now’s three recent medical marijuana stories.

Marijuana Refugees: Virginia Family Moves to Colorado to Treat Epileptic Child with Cannabis Oil

As Marijuana Refugees Flock to Colorado, Will Medical Community Force Rewriting of U.S. Drug Laws?

Smoke Signals: Martin Lee on Growing U.S. Movement to Legalize Marijuana