Christine Green
New Member
Hartford - After years campaigning for the right to use a medical-marijuana extract to treat her daughter's seizures, Dana Haddox-Wright is now planning to wean Ella, her six-year-old, off of the potentially dangerous pharmaceuticals she's been taking for years.
At the same time, marijuana producers across the state are making liquified and edible forms of marijuana that children will be able to use. And state officials are creating an expedited application process to help those patients under 18 years old get signed up for the program.
Their actions follow Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's signature this week on a law that will allow children to participate in the state's two-year old medical marijuana program as of Oct. 1. Those under 18 need a parent's permission, a letter from two doctors and cannot use marijuana in a smokeable form.
"The first step is to ask our doctors to write letters," said Haddox-Wright, of Wilton, whose daughter suffers from a rare children epilepsy called Dravet syndrome. "Once at least two doctors sign off, kids like Ella will be eligible for cannabis oil use and we will be able to acquire a medical marijuana card. Then we need to find a licensed practitioner who knows how to prescribe it."
Haddox-Wright, a consultant, said she's not sure how long it could take for Ella to begin participating, but it could take years before any results can be reached, starting with months of slowly separating from the drugs she takes now to control the daily seizures associated with Dravet.
"We have been advised by Ella's epilepsy specialist to hold off until Ella loses her current level of seizure control," Haddox-Wright said. "The kids that will need this immediately are the ones who are having multiple seizures a day, so I hope that processes and quality control practices are put into place quickly."
Changing products
For Angela D'Amico, owner of the Compassionate Care medical cannabis dispensary in Bethel, the new laws means that she can ask the state's four marijuana producers to create more extract that's high in chemicals linked to repairing neurological disorders but is not mind-altering.
"This is really a milestone for the program," D'Amico said. "We're not going to take this lightly. This is very exciting. Different strains have different benefits."
D'Amico, owner of the year-and-a-half-old Bethel dispensary, said that nationally, patients with neurological, inflammatory, pain and even cancer conditions seem to be responding to marijuana strains with high levels of CBD, or cannabidiol, and low levels of the high-inducing ingredient THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol.
"With children the ratio has to be be between 12 to 1 and 22 to 1," D'Amico said this week, the day after Malloy signed the bill into law.
She said that all four Connecticut producers are now growing high-CBD strains of the plant. The oil from mature flowers is later extracted.
Research needed
Part of the problem for the state's pharmaceutical model has been the lack of research on the effects of the drug, because the federal government still classifies marijuana as a Schedule I drug with no medical benefits. Much of the research has come from Canada, England and Israel.
The new law, however, could open up a research industry in Connecticut. The bill also allows hospice patients to use medical cannabis.
Meanwhile, pharmacists who run the six -- soon to be nine -- dispensaries have been learning what type of strains and chemical profiles help their patients the most in attempt to treat the 17 qualifying ailments.
Statewide there are now 10,261 patients, including 2,266 in Fairfield County and 2,535 in New Haven County.
And a year after the initial attempt to expand the medical marijuana program to children failed in the General Assembly,Jonathan Harris, commissioner of the state Department of Consumer Protection, is streamlining the application process so that when October 1 rolls around, parents will be quickly granted the identification cards they need to obtain the medication from the state's landmark program.
Harris said this week he's happy Malloy signed the bill.
"Patients under the age of 18 with severe debilitating conditions finally get the medication they need, more research will be conducted in our state, and patients in hospice will have better, secure access to medication to relive their pain," he said. "While minors will not have immediate access to the medication under the law, the department is working diligently to have the registration process in place so minors will be able to get relief from their severe debilitating conditions on Oct. 1st."
News Moderator: Christine Green 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Parents preparing for children’s medical marijuana | News | thehour.com
Author: kdixon@ctpost.com
Contact: subscriberservices@thehour.com
Photo Credit: Jason Rearick
Website: thehour.com | Local News in Norwalk, Wilton, Westport, Weston, Stamford
At the same time, marijuana producers across the state are making liquified and edible forms of marijuana that children will be able to use. And state officials are creating an expedited application process to help those patients under 18 years old get signed up for the program.
Their actions follow Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's signature this week on a law that will allow children to participate in the state's two-year old medical marijuana program as of Oct. 1. Those under 18 need a parent's permission, a letter from two doctors and cannot use marijuana in a smokeable form.
"The first step is to ask our doctors to write letters," said Haddox-Wright, of Wilton, whose daughter suffers from a rare children epilepsy called Dravet syndrome. "Once at least two doctors sign off, kids like Ella will be eligible for cannabis oil use and we will be able to acquire a medical marijuana card. Then we need to find a licensed practitioner who knows how to prescribe it."
Haddox-Wright, a consultant, said she's not sure how long it could take for Ella to begin participating, but it could take years before any results can be reached, starting with months of slowly separating from the drugs she takes now to control the daily seizures associated with Dravet.
"We have been advised by Ella's epilepsy specialist to hold off until Ella loses her current level of seizure control," Haddox-Wright said. "The kids that will need this immediately are the ones who are having multiple seizures a day, so I hope that processes and quality control practices are put into place quickly."
Changing products
For Angela D'Amico, owner of the Compassionate Care medical cannabis dispensary in Bethel, the new laws means that she can ask the state's four marijuana producers to create more extract that's high in chemicals linked to repairing neurological disorders but is not mind-altering.
"This is really a milestone for the program," D'Amico said. "We're not going to take this lightly. This is very exciting. Different strains have different benefits."
D'Amico, owner of the year-and-a-half-old Bethel dispensary, said that nationally, patients with neurological, inflammatory, pain and even cancer conditions seem to be responding to marijuana strains with high levels of CBD, or cannabidiol, and low levels of the high-inducing ingredient THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol.
"With children the ratio has to be be between 12 to 1 and 22 to 1," D'Amico said this week, the day after Malloy signed the bill into law.
She said that all four Connecticut producers are now growing high-CBD strains of the plant. The oil from mature flowers is later extracted.
Research needed
Part of the problem for the state's pharmaceutical model has been the lack of research on the effects of the drug, because the federal government still classifies marijuana as a Schedule I drug with no medical benefits. Much of the research has come from Canada, England and Israel.
The new law, however, could open up a research industry in Connecticut. The bill also allows hospice patients to use medical cannabis.
Meanwhile, pharmacists who run the six -- soon to be nine -- dispensaries have been learning what type of strains and chemical profiles help their patients the most in attempt to treat the 17 qualifying ailments.
Statewide there are now 10,261 patients, including 2,266 in Fairfield County and 2,535 in New Haven County.
And a year after the initial attempt to expand the medical marijuana program to children failed in the General Assembly,Jonathan Harris, commissioner of the state Department of Consumer Protection, is streamlining the application process so that when October 1 rolls around, parents will be quickly granted the identification cards they need to obtain the medication from the state's landmark program.
Harris said this week he's happy Malloy signed the bill.
"Patients under the age of 18 with severe debilitating conditions finally get the medication they need, more research will be conducted in our state, and patients in hospice will have better, secure access to medication to relive their pain," he said. "While minors will not have immediate access to the medication under the law, the department is working diligently to have the registration process in place so minors will be able to get relief from their severe debilitating conditions on Oct. 1st."
News Moderator: Christine Green 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Parents preparing for children’s medical marijuana | News | thehour.com
Author: kdixon@ctpost.com
Contact: subscriberservices@thehour.com
Photo Credit: Jason Rearick
Website: thehour.com | Local News in Norwalk, Wilton, Westport, Weston, Stamford
