Markell enacts law allowing medical marijuana use for minors

Rylie's Law targeted at providing relief from seizures and more

By Dennis Forney 

Photo by: Dennis Forney Shown at the signing of Rylie's Law are in back (l-r) Speaker of the House Pete Schwartzkopf, Sen. Margaret Rose Henry, Gov. Jack Markell, Sen. Bethany Hall-Long, Sen. Ernie Lopez, Rep. Debra Heffernan, Rep. Stephanie Bolden, Sen. Brian Pettyjohn, Rep. Jeff Spiegelman, Rep. Michael Ramone and Rep. David Wilson. In front are Janie Maedler, Rylie Maedler, Gavin Maedler, Sean Maedler and Korban Maedler.

 

In a rare display of unanimity and harmony at Legislative Hall in Dover, upstate and downstate legislators from both sides of the political aisle gathered in Gov. Jack Markell’s office for the signing of SB90, also known as Rylie’s Law.
Equally as notable is the fact that the legislation includes a word long controversial in our society: marijuana. But at the center of it all is a 9­-year­-old girl named Rylie Maedler of Rehoboth Beach, who just wants access to oils of the plant known as cannabis to provide relief from the seizures she suffers so she can enjoy her childhood.

“It’s the right thing to do,” said Sixth District Sen. Ernie Lopez, who spearheaded and sponsored the legislation. “We’ve approved the use of medical marijuana for adults in Delaware. This bill does the same for minors who have conditions, certified by a doctor, that could be relieved by proper use of cannabis oils.”
The legislation was approved unanimously by Delaware’s House of Representatives and Senate. Lopez said a critical part of this process was convincing the Nemours Foundation and officials at its A.I. duPont Hospital for Children to change their policy to allow the use of medical marijuana for children.

“We’re not talking about children smoking marijuana or getting high from the targeted use of these oils,” said Lopez. “We’re talking about a very controlled use to give Rylie and others in her situation some relief. We have a partnership with Nemours, and we want to continue to be first in children’s care across the state.”
Rylie’s parents say medicine prescribed to treat their daughter’s seizures and other symptoms has not worked. The medical marijuana oil, also known as cannabidiol oil, has been proven to help people with intractable epilepsy. It does not contain enough THC - the active chemical in marijuana - to get someone high.

Toward the end of the ceremony, with her beaming daughter holding the freshly signed document that bears her name, Rylie’s mother, Janie Maedler, leaned in to the governor to give him a brief message.
“I said 'Thank you; you’ve changed our life.'”
Maedler explained what she meant.
“We just know that this is our chance,” she said. “Our entire family, we’ve watched her suffer, and it’s not fair for her. And this will help. 

The cannabis oil helps for pain and inflammation and the seizures, so it not only is addressing her seizures, but it’s addressing a lot of other problems. We want her to have a chance to be a little girl.”
The legislation takes effect immediately and will allow Rylie’s family to access medical marijuana products for her at the state’s new dispensary, scheduled to open Friday, June 26, in Wilmington.