Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
Medical marijuana is helping thousands of sick children across the country and here in Maine live better lives. It is a legal medical treatment for children at home, but federal law bans the drug in hospitals, the very place parents say where their children need the drug the most.
Some families are willing to do whatever it takes to help their kids and now state lawmakers are listening.
Samantha Brown cherishes every moment with her daughter Kaylee. She never knows when her 4-year-old will suddenly have a seizure. The seizures started when she was 9-months-old. Kaylee has a mild form of Dravet Syndrome, a rare and severe form of epilepsy which is resistant to most medications. The prescription medications didn't help much and left her in a groggy state.
Brown started Kaylee on medical marijuana, or cannabis, which helped reduce the seizures. Brown was seeing progress in her daughter's condition, so she also began the weaning her off the prescription medications. That process landed Kaylee in a medically induced coma this past summer at Maine Medical Center. She was admitted again in December, when Kaylee had a seizure that lasted several hours.
Each time Kaylee's been admitted to Maine Medical Center, Brown has faced an impossible decision.
"The negative vibes I got...at the hospital? The doctors repeatedly told me, 'you can't give it to her,'" said Brown.
Kaylee is a legal medical marijuana patient, but under federal law, marijuana is considered an illegal drug and is not allowed in hospitals. When doctors asked if Samantha had any with her, she lied, worried about her daughter's condition. When the doctors weren't looking, Brown administered some medical marijuana to her daughter.
"I am not going to take something away that can prevent the seizures. I shouldn't have to. I shouldn't have been in that position... life or death situations," she said.
Twelve-year-old Cyndimae Meehan also has Dravet Syndrome and at one time suffered from more than 100 seizures a day. After trying 23 different drugs, her mother moved from Connecticut to Maine where Cyndimae could legally take cannabis. She began using a rescue medication made up of certain strains of the drug when she has a grand mal seizure. The seizure causes a loss of consciousness and violent muscle contractions. Once family members give Cyndimae cannabis, her seizures quickly stop.
In the past year, Cyndimae has been weaned off all of the prescription medications. She was once confined to a wheelchair, but since using medical marijuana, she has become active and independent. She feeds herself and loves to paint and draw. However, her mother said the hospital's policies put parents in a very difficult spot.
'Would I have to sneak giving her the medication and do it without telling them? Would I just have to object to the ruling and give it to her anyway? I am not sure what the consequences would be?' said Meehan.
In November, NEWS CENTER shared the story of these two moms and how they are fighting for a new law that would force hospitals in Maine to allow them to give their children medical marijuana. That effort wasn't going anywhere until newly elected State Senator Eric Brakey saw what these families were going through.
Sen. Brakey is the chairman of the Legislature's Department of Health and Human Services Committee. He is sponsoring a bill that adds new language to an existing law which allows nursing home patients to use medical marijuana. His bill would expand it to Maine hospitals.
The Maine Hospital Association is expected to come out against the proposal.
"Hospitals respect Sen. Brakey's goal of helping patients, particularly those suffering from the most challenging conditions. We also appreciate that he understands some of the difficulties in asking federally regulated facilities like hospitals to allow patients to take medications that have not only not yet achieved FDA approval, but that may run afoul of federal narcotics laws," said spokesperson Jeff Austin in a statement.
Brown knows there is a battle ahead to get this law passed, but she has no regrets when it comes to going public to help her daughter get better.
"I am glad that it was worth it, I am glad to see people lawmakers and the public are starting to see what we are going through and we need change and we are heading toward that momentum," said Brown.
The bill does not require hospitals to prescribe or dose medical marijuana to a patient. It would only be handled by a legal patient, caregiver or parent. The legislation only allows medical marijuana in a smokeless form. Brown and other parents are expected to testify at a public hearing before the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee in the next couple of weeks.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: New bill would allow medical pot in Maine hospitals
Author: Vivien Leigh
Contact: 207@wcsh6.com
Photo Credit: Star Tribune
Website: Maine News, Weather, Sports Channel 6 NBC Portland | WCSH6.com | Portland, ME
Some families are willing to do whatever it takes to help their kids and now state lawmakers are listening.
Samantha Brown cherishes every moment with her daughter Kaylee. She never knows when her 4-year-old will suddenly have a seizure. The seizures started when she was 9-months-old. Kaylee has a mild form of Dravet Syndrome, a rare and severe form of epilepsy which is resistant to most medications. The prescription medications didn't help much and left her in a groggy state.
Brown started Kaylee on medical marijuana, or cannabis, which helped reduce the seizures. Brown was seeing progress in her daughter's condition, so she also began the weaning her off the prescription medications. That process landed Kaylee in a medically induced coma this past summer at Maine Medical Center. She was admitted again in December, when Kaylee had a seizure that lasted several hours.
Each time Kaylee's been admitted to Maine Medical Center, Brown has faced an impossible decision.
"The negative vibes I got...at the hospital? The doctors repeatedly told me, 'you can't give it to her,'" said Brown.
Kaylee is a legal medical marijuana patient, but under federal law, marijuana is considered an illegal drug and is not allowed in hospitals. When doctors asked if Samantha had any with her, she lied, worried about her daughter's condition. When the doctors weren't looking, Brown administered some medical marijuana to her daughter.
"I am not going to take something away that can prevent the seizures. I shouldn't have to. I shouldn't have been in that position... life or death situations," she said.
Twelve-year-old Cyndimae Meehan also has Dravet Syndrome and at one time suffered from more than 100 seizures a day. After trying 23 different drugs, her mother moved from Connecticut to Maine where Cyndimae could legally take cannabis. She began using a rescue medication made up of certain strains of the drug when she has a grand mal seizure. The seizure causes a loss of consciousness and violent muscle contractions. Once family members give Cyndimae cannabis, her seizures quickly stop.
In the past year, Cyndimae has been weaned off all of the prescription medications. She was once confined to a wheelchair, but since using medical marijuana, she has become active and independent. She feeds herself and loves to paint and draw. However, her mother said the hospital's policies put parents in a very difficult spot.
'Would I have to sneak giving her the medication and do it without telling them? Would I just have to object to the ruling and give it to her anyway? I am not sure what the consequences would be?' said Meehan.
In November, NEWS CENTER shared the story of these two moms and how they are fighting for a new law that would force hospitals in Maine to allow them to give their children medical marijuana. That effort wasn't going anywhere until newly elected State Senator Eric Brakey saw what these families were going through.
Sen. Brakey is the chairman of the Legislature's Department of Health and Human Services Committee. He is sponsoring a bill that adds new language to an existing law which allows nursing home patients to use medical marijuana. His bill would expand it to Maine hospitals.
The Maine Hospital Association is expected to come out against the proposal.
"Hospitals respect Sen. Brakey's goal of helping patients, particularly those suffering from the most challenging conditions. We also appreciate that he understands some of the difficulties in asking federally regulated facilities like hospitals to allow patients to take medications that have not only not yet achieved FDA approval, but that may run afoul of federal narcotics laws," said spokesperson Jeff Austin in a statement.
Brown knows there is a battle ahead to get this law passed, but she has no regrets when it comes to going public to help her daughter get better.
"I am glad that it was worth it, I am glad to see people lawmakers and the public are starting to see what we are going through and we need change and we are heading toward that momentum," said Brown.
The bill does not require hospitals to prescribe or dose medical marijuana to a patient. It would only be handled by a legal patient, caregiver or parent. The legislation only allows medical marijuana in a smokeless form. Brown and other parents are expected to testify at a public hearing before the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee in the next couple of weeks.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: New bill would allow medical pot in Maine hospitals
Author: Vivien Leigh
Contact: 207@wcsh6.com
Photo Credit: Star Tribune
Website: Maine News, Weather, Sports Channel 6 NBC Portland | WCSH6.com | Portland, ME
