Cannabis oil and childhood epilepsy – this combination has been frequently discussed over the last several years. Numerous parents attest to how their children’s seizures all but disappear after as little as a single dose of CBD oil. The issue, however, lies in the legality of CBD oil as a derivative of the cannabis plant (i.e. marijuana).
For instance, consider 16-year-old Genny Barbour, whose heart wrenching story was recently featured by Medical Daily. Genny is both autistic and epileptic, and she has a history of (multiple) daily seizures. After her doctor prescribed CBD oil, her seizures disappeared. Unfortunately, the problem now lies in the fight her parents are having with her school district. The New Jersey school district does not want to allow Genny access to her prescription at school due to school grounds being deemed “drug free zones” by federal law. Roger and Lora Barbour are now suing the school district to pave way for their child (and others facing the same diagnosis) to have access to their cannabis-derived medication on school property.
“She could have Valium or oxycodone, but no medical marijuana,” Roger Barbour told NJ.com. “Other children can take their medicine. My daughter cannot. My daughter is a citizen of this state, and this is a violation of her state and federal constitutional rights.”
Along with facing “drug free zones,” another issue the Barbours face is with the technicality that when traveling outside of the state (even for a vacation), providing this life-altering medicine to Genny would be breaking the law to since the federal government still classifies cannabis as a Substance 1 drug—in the same non-medical use category as heroin and LSD.
Genny’s school has indicated that they are willing to allow her parents to take her out of school during lunchtime to give her the medicine she needs; however, until there are changes at the federal level, she will not be allowed to take CBD oil on campus.