By Susan Squibb, The Cannabist Staff

Welcome to our Ask The Cannabist column. Clearly you have questions about marijuana, be it a legal concern, a health curiosity, a Colorado-centric inquiry or something more far-reaching. Check out our expansive, 100-question Colorado marijuana FAQ first, and if you’re still curious, email your question to Ask The Cannabist at askthecannabist@gmail.com.

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Hey, Cannabist!
I was wondering if you knew the route to take to be a lobbyist for marijuana?  Let me know.
–Leafy Legislator Persuader
Hey, Legislator Persuader!
So you’re interested in influencing legislators for marijuana reform. As more states are implementing marijuana laws, there is growing opportunity for marijuana lobbyists. In Colorado last year, the cannabis industry employed 26 lobbyists who were collectively paid $331,000.
I spoke with Samantha Walsh, a seasoned Colorado lobbyist and political strategist about the job requirements, necessary educational background and the different types of lobbyists — paid, volunteer and citizen.
Walsh encourages, “The best way to start would be to explain that thanks to the First Amendment, anyone can lobby their elected officials on behalf of any cause.”


The main function of a lobbyist is to inform elected officials.  “We can’t expect the people we elect to govern to be policy experts in everything,” Walsh says via email. As a lobbyist, she continues, “Your job is to help educate them on all the policy issues affecting marijuana, the industry business practices or social-justice impacts depending on your client’s specific area of expertise.”
Additionally, Walsh says, building relationships with elected officials is an important part of being effective.

To prepare for a job as a lobbyist, an educational background in political science or communications is common but not required, according to Walsh. Many lobbyists began working in government and transitioned into lobbying. “Nothing is more critical than understanding the legislative process,” Walsh says. “Knowing the process of how motions are made, votes are taken and committee procedures can greatly assist one in handling getting a bill through — or killing a bill they don’t like.”

To be the most effective, Walsh recommends reading “Robert’s Rules of Order,” a book on basic parliamentary procedure and understanding the legislative rules in your city or state.
Every state has variations. In general, paid lobbyists are regulated by the Secretary of State, the state department responsible for elections and campaigns. Walsh explains transparency is important because lobbyists interact with elected officials.

Paid lobbyists sign a contract with a client to represent their interests to elected officials, and they register this client relationship with the Secretary of the State, disclosing client information, all financial compensations and any beneficial financial interests, such as owning stock.
Volunteer lobbyists are unpaid for their work and can represent official organizations, a specific group or interest. In Colorado, volunteer lobbyists register with the Chief Clerk of the Colorado House.

By first being a volunteer lobbyist, Walsh leveraged herself into a paid lobbying career. Although, volunteer lobbyists are not required to fill out disclosure reports with the state, Walsh recommends filling out reports if you want to make lobbying a paid career.
Unpaid citizen lobbyists require no background checks or credentials and include advocates and activists working for their causes. Walsh adds: “Some of the most successful lobbyists I know come from a more activist background or business background … and they decided to get involved in the political process and found they were able to be very effective.” Good luck in your career! XO

Weed Users Avoid Smoker Penalties at 29% of U.S. Life Insurers

One in five of the insurers represented do not have an official underwriting policy in place for marijuana users.

Photographer: David Ramos/Getty Images

by Selina Y Wang

Marijuana users, who can now buy weed without fear of arrest in some U.S. states, can also get life insurance without facing a smoker penalty -- if they shop carefully.
Among insurers with policies in place for ganja users, 29 percent classify them as non-smokers, according to a survey released this month by a U.S. unit of Munich Re. One-fifth of life companies don’t have official policies in place, the reinsurer found.

Pot has long been treated by authorities as more dangerous than tobacco. That has been changing, with more than 20 U.S. states allowing the drug for medicinal purposes. Voters in Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington approved recreational use. While the science is conclusive on cigarettes shortening life expectancies, underwriters don’t have as much to go on when assessing the risks of covering stoners.
“We don’t have clarity yet,” Bill Moore, vice president of underwriting and medical for Munich American Reassurance, said in a phone interview. “There just isn’t good, valid data for us to say ‘Oh, we know exactly what the risk of recreational marijuana usage over a 20-year period of time is.’”

Insurers can require medical examinations, family histories and information about dangerous activities like skydiving. Different companies have their own methods of weighing risks when setting rates for customers.
Elanders Ballard, an account executive at insurance brokerage AccuQuote, said he often refers frequent marijuana users to Transamerica, a unit of Netherlands-based Aegon NV. Other companies may treat occasional recreational pot use harshly, even if the insurers tolerate use of smokeless tobacco, he said.

Recreational Use

“You can dip and chew,” Ballard said. “But you smoke a little marijuana more than occasionally, you’re a smoker.”
Prudential Financial Inc.’s decisions can range from standard rates to declination of coverage, based on the pattern of recreational marijuana use, Mike McFarland, vice president and chief underwriter of life insurance at the Newark, New Jersey-based company, said in an e-mail. Both marijuana users and consumers of smokeless tobacco are ineligible for the company’s preferred rate, he said.

New York Life Insurance Co. also weighs frequency of consumption.
“With mild or moderate usage, no extra charge is usually needed if the applicant has not had any adverse effects,” Thomas Gangemi, vice president and chief underwriter, said in an e-mail. “For heavy recreational use, we may assign a substandard debit.”

Six Joints

Transamerica classifies people who smoke marijuana less than once a month, on average, in the same way as occasional cigar smokers, said Greg Tucker, a spokesman for the company. That’s a better rate than a cigarette smoker.
“There are some carriers, if you smoke six marijuana joints a year, you would be treated the same as a cigarette smoker,” he said. “We define ‘occasional’ a little more generously.”

Munich Re’s Moore compared weed to alcohol, which is used responsibly by many people without incurring additional insurance costs. Both drinking and pot smoking, however, can impair judgment in ways that cigarettes do not, he said.
“If somebody is drinking two glasses of wine a day consistently and they aren’t showing adverse health effects, they’d pay the same premium rate as someone not drinking alcohol,” Moore said. “But if they’re smoking two, three, four joints a day, that frequency of use would likely cause an additional charge to their premium.”

Dependence, Addiction

Cigarette smoking harms almost every organ of the body and causes more than 480,000 deaths a year in the U.S., a greater total than alcohol, illegal drugs, car accidents and gun incidents combined, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The government’s Office of National Drug Control Policy says that chronic use of marijuana may increase the risk of schizophrenia in vulnerable people. It also cites research linking frequent marijuana smoking to respiratory illnesses and said that long-term use can lead to dependence and addiction.

“While the scientific community has yet to achieve full consensus on this matter, the majority of epidemiological and animal data demonstrate that the reinforcing properties of marijuana in humans is low in comparison to other drugs of abuse, including alcohol and nicotine,” according to Norml, a group seeking to reform marijuana laws.
Munich Re’s Moore said that insurers’ decisions come down to calculations about life expectancy, rather than moral judgments. The survey was administered at the Association of Home Office Underwriters Conference in April and represents the views of 148 U.S. underwriters, according to the statement.

Weed is legal Wednesday; here's a guide

On Wednesday, the pot stashes in Oregon are legal — up to 8 ounces. So is the homegrown, up to four plants a household.

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The legalization of recreational marijuana on July 1 makes the state the fourth to do so, following Colorado, Washington state and Alaska. The nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., also allows possession of personal amounts, though not sales.

Here’s a look at Oregon’s law and the legal pot movement:

WHAT CHANGES JULY 1 IN OREGON?

Not much, actually. In populous parts of the state that have long been tolerant of marijuana, police don’t generally bust people using it in private. Most important, though, is that under the new law it’s still illegal to sell recreational marijuana. When Oregon voters approved Measure 91 last November, they left the job of writing rules for pot shops to the Legislature and the state liquor control agency, which so far haven’t gotten it all figured out. As of now, it’s likely that July 1 will pass and users won’t have a legal way to buy what they can use legally.

WHAT’S UP IN OTHER STATES?

A legal pot measure has qualified for the ballot next year in Nevada. The national advocacy organization NORML reports there are plans or hopes for 2016 initiatives in half a dozen more states. That includes the biggest prize, California, where proponents hope that shifting opinion and the presidential election, attracting young voters, could reverse a 2010 vote. Other states where votes are possible in 2016: Arizona, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri and Michigan. There may be a vote this year in Ohio, where legislators are trying to put a measure on the November ballot that legal marijuana advocates fear would negate theirs. Neither side has yet reserved a ballot spot.

OREGON AND POT: A BRIEF HISTORY

Oregon was the first state to lower penalties for small amounts of pot, “decriminalizing” it in 1973. Medical marijuana followed in 1998. In 2012, voters rejected a first attempt to legalize recreational marijuana. It was widely viewed as poorly crafted. In 2013, the state approved dispensaries to sell medical pot, replacing a system that allowed patients to grow their own or, more commonly, designate someone to grow it for them. All along, marijuana farmers in southwestern Oregon, were growing world-class weed. Some was for medicinal use. Authorities say some went to the black market. Elsewhere, there are plenty of cultural signs of pot emerging from the underground, such as the specialty indoor garden stores that sell irrigation fittings and other cultivation gear nobody believes is for orchids. Then, in November, voters approved Measure 91 by 12 percentage points, 56-44.

WHAT’S AHEAD?

The Oregon Liquor Control Commission is writing rules for growing and selling legal pot. It plans to accept applications from prospective farmers on Jan. 1. It says retail sales could start about harvest time next fall. Last week, the Legislature’s joint marijuana committee voted to start retail sales sooner, by Oct. 1 this year, by going through the existing medical marijuana dispensaries, now more than 300 strong. Legislators say it will take a few months to write rules for the medical dispensaries to sell to non-patients, but the fall crop should be in by Oct. 1, ensuring enough for recreational and medical customers alike.

WHO’S NOT HAPPY?

Many in the semiarid central and eastern parts of Oregon and small towns elsewhere. Outside the Willamette Valley of western Oregon, voters weren’t so enthusiastic about Measure 91. Legislators are poised to allow local governments in some counties or local voters elsewhere to bar both medical and recreational dispensaries — though not private possession and use.

Some cities are restricting the placement of pot businesses or passing odor ordinances to thwart outdoor gardens. Also unhappy are advocates of hemp, the marijuana strain that doesn’t result in a high but is good for clothing, food, rope and other utility purposes. Pot growers in southern Oregon fear cross-pollination would decrease the potency of their primo produce. The growers were organized at the Legislature, lobbyists and all, and lawmakers are working on a bill to put off much of the hemp farming.

What effect does marijuana really have on weight gain?

While cannabis alters the functions of neurobiological circuits controlling appetite, its effect on weight gain is complex since several factors appear to be involved, says Didier Jutras-Aswad, University of Montreal professor and researcher …more

While cannabis alters the functions of neurobiological circuits controlling appetite, its effect on weight gain is complex since several factors appear to be involved, says Didier Jutras-Aswad, University of Montreal professor and researcher at the CHUM Research Centre

 

"It is known - and often reported by users - that cannabis causes temporary increase in appetite. As to whether it actually causes weight gain in the long term, the available data is limited. The question is all the more difficult to answer since many other factors can influence weight. For instance, cannabis use may be associated with cigarette smoking, which also alters appetite, and many effects of cannabis vary by gender and level of use. 

For this study, we wanted to better understand the association between cannabis and weight gain by paying particular attention to these factors. The main finding of our study shows that long-term cannabis use indeed influences weight gain. But above all, we noted that certain factors drastically modify this effect, including gender, level of use, and concomitant cigarette smoking."
"What was surprising in this study was the complexity of interacting factors," said Dr. Jutras-Aswad.

We were able to group participants according to various levels of use to conduct our analyses. Specifically, in male non cigarette smokers, greater cannabis use led to greater weight gain. And significantly, in male cigarette smokers, the effect was almost the opposite."
The researcher and his colleagues reached their conclusions using data from the Nicotine Dependence in Teens (NDIT) study, led by Jennifer O'Loughlin. From the age of 12 or 13, 1294 young people agreed to share information each year about, amongst other things, their diet, overall mental and physical health (including weight and height), physical activities, and frequency and levels of their cannabis, alcohol, and/or nicotine use.

The highly detailed nature of the NDIT study allowed the researchers to rule out other factors likely to influence weight gain in their analysis. "The effects of these substances observed in highly controlled laboratory settings are more complex than anticipated in real-world settings," explained Jutras-Aswad. "The NDIT study provided us with the opportunity to have detailed longitudinal data to better respond to a research question requiring consideration of several factors simultaneously."

For the moment, the researchers are unable to explain the difference between males and females, although they have some hypotheses. "THC and nicotine do not affect the neurobiological circuits controlling hunger in the same way in men and women," explained Jutras-Aswad. "We also know that these targets in the brain are modified by hormonal factors that can fluctuate, in particular, during menstrual cycles. There are also possible psychological differences in men and women in their perception of and preoccupation with weight gain and diet, which could hypothetically explain why men seem specifically sensitive to the complex interaction between cannabis use, cigarette smoking, and weight gain."

Finally, the study equips scientists and health practitioners in improving knowledge and combating cigarette smoking, cannabis abuse, and obesity. "One of the great strengths of our study is that it is highly instructive about how to study the effects of cannabis use on weight gain, but also the risk of developing other health problems. Our data indicate that concomitant cigarette smoking and gender must also be taken into account in the individuals concerned," said Jutras-Aswad.

"Regarding interventions with the population, one of the findings to keep in mind is that when a person uses cannabis they also often report using tobacco. When one substance is used, another one is often consumed. We must therefore be able to prevent, detect, and intervene in the problematic use of several substances simultaneously," concluded Dr. Jutras-Awad.

Why This Woman Is Bringing Together Lawyers Across the Country to Serve the Marijuana Industry

Shabnam Malek is the president and executive director of the new National Cannabis Bar Association.

By Kelly Mickle
While the tides seem to be turning in favor of medicinal and recreational marijuana (53 percent of Americans now support legalizing the drug), conflicting federal and state laws make for a confusing legal landscape. As a result, finding a good lawyer — and being a good lawyer — could mean the difference between a successful career and spending time behind bars for those working in the cannabis industry.
To help lawyers and their clients find their way through this new murky and uncharted territory, a group of experienced lawyers formed the National Cannabis Bar Association (NCBA) based in San Francisco, which launches June 30. Cosmopolitan.com spoke to president and executive director of the NCBA, Shabnam Malek, about the new organization and how they hope to impact the industry.
 
Why is the National Cannabis Bar Association important?
We're in a very unique situation. The federal government deems marijuana unlawful, yet a patchwork of state laws say things are totally lawful, so knowing how to navigate these conflicting laws is crucial for attorneys to properly represent their clients. My firm Brand & Branch [a boutique law firm that specializes in providing intellectual property law services to the marijuana industry] represents everyone from dispensaries to cultivators — growers — companies that make infused edibles, like chocolates and granola, as well as software and social media companies that work with cannabis clients.

The industry is growing so fast, and laws and regulations are constantly changing — they vary from state to state and sometimes even city to city, so attorneys need to be able to connect with one another to share information and get advice from those who have more experience in the field or in states where marijuana laws have been around longer. Similar general specialty bar associations are available for family law, trademark law, criminal defense, so it makes perfect sense to have one for cannabis law — especially considering the complexity of legal issues.

Who will the NCBA benefit?
The benefits will be huge for both lawyers and businesses in the marijuana industry. Members will have access to a national database of lawyers, as well as networking events, educational seminars, and webinars. Base membership for qualified attorneys is $150 a year, but the database will be publicly available for cannabis businesses to use — a big bonus when you're a company looking for educated advice on how to deal with the complicated state laws around marijuana. As of now, it's very hard to do that on your own. Your only options are Google or to get references from friends and colleagues. The National Organization to Reform Marijuana Laws (NORML) does have a database of lawyers, but it's mostly defense attorneys — not people who specialize in business law. We've just launched and already we have people reaching out to us asking for help finding lawyers in particular jurisdictions.

What motivated you to get involved in cannabis law?
Oh, there were so many reasons! I'm a trademark lawyer and that's still what I do, but it has so many new applications in the cannabis industry. It's a really exciting, fast-growing area of law. I wanted to be a part of that and quickly saw the need for an organization to best serve our clients, so I got together with my colleagues to launch the NCBA and asked for their support as president at [the] first board meeting. It's a lot of work, but it's a perfect fit for me. My friends all call me the hub. I connect my friends together, I connect people in professional situations together, and it just felt like something natural for me to do — to connect lawyers together with one another and help connect the industry with lawyers.

Did you have any concerns about getting involved in such a controversial industry?
Personally, I support the legalization of marijuana. That said, I think it's wise to be cautious. Caution drives a lot of investigation and research and mindfulness. Having said that, this industry is extremely professional and continuing to grow in its professionalism. Having a resource like the National Cannabis Bar Association will only add to the credibility of this field, giving lawyers the tools and education they need to serve their clients in the most ethical and professional way possible.

What are your hopes for the future of the association?
My main goal is to get the database up and running, and to facilitate more educational seminars and networking events. We just had a one-hour seminar on franchising law and how it might affect the cannabis industry, which was taught by Dawn Newton at Donna Hugh Fitzgerald. We also had a fun social mixer at a bar that was hosted by Viridis Law Firm based in San Diego during the International Trademark Association meeting. Both had great turnouts, and we want to continue to provide these valuable opportunities to other attorneys in this industry so we can better serve the industry.

Five of your 10 board members are women, and women seem to be taking on prominent roles in the cannabis industry in general. Why do you think the cannabis industry is appealing to women?
I think the cannabis industry has a lot to offer women. It's changing so rapidly that there is a lot of space for women to grow and learn professionally. Also, women are more affected by a lot of chronic health conditions that can be treated with medicinal marijuana, so I think that has exposed more women and gotten them more involved in the industry.

Personally, the wide-open field allowed me to start my own firm, which has enabled me to build the quality of life I want — which was difficult to do at a big law firm with extremely demanding hours. Because the field is growing so much, it's very exciting, and I've been able to create a lot of flexibility and take on clients I really like. I hope that seeing women attorneys and business owners in this field, and providing educational opportunities for them through the NCBA, will encourage and inspire other women to aspire to be leaders as well.

New Medical Cannabis Legislation introduced

by Paul Smith
HARRISBURG, Pa. — House Judiciary Committee Majority Chairman Ron Marsico (R-Dauphin), Rep. Mike Regan (R-York/Cumberland) and Rep. Sheryl Delozier (R-Cumberland) are pleased to introduce legislation that would permit the use of medical cannabis in Pennsylvania in a controlled fashion.
“All three prime sponsors of this bill, myself included, are extremely passionate about this issue and wanted to share the responsibility that sponsoring this bill carries. I am confident that together, we can not only garner support for the legislation but also be available to discuss it with other members and answer any questions they may have,” said Marsico.

House Bill 1432 would permit the use of medical cannabis within the Commonwealth. Based on information learned during the committee’s hearings and statutes enacted in other states, this legislation would:
• Establish a medical cannabis program to be administered by the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs.

• Permit a doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathy to certify that a patient may use medical cannabis if they are suffering from a serious medical condition. A serious medical condition includes cancer, HIV/AIDS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, damage to the nervous tissue of the spinal cord, epilepsy, inflammatory bowel disease, neuropathies and Huntington’s disease.

• Authorize the department to issue counterfeit-proof identification cards to patients and caregivers who may then go to a dispensary owned by a medical cannabis organization to obtain medical cannabis.

• Authorize the department to register as many as five medical cannabis organizations. A medical cannabis organization will grow, process, distribute and sell medical cannabis. Each medical cannabis organization may operate no more than four dispensaries, which are to be wholly owned and operated by the medical cannabis organization. The dispensaries must be geographically disbursed throughout the Commonwealth.

• Establish an excise tax to apply to the sale of medical cannabis, to be paid by medical cannabis organizations. The tax may not be passed onto the patient or caregiver.

• Provide that all fees and taxes be deposited into a Medical Cannabis Program Fund established in the State Treasury. The fund will pay the cost of running the program, as well as for medical research related to the safety and use of medical cannabis. It will also provide grants to district attorneys’ offices, municipal police departments and the Pennsylvania State Police through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and pay for drug and alcohol abuse programs within the Commonwealth.

• Establish criminal penalties for diversion of medical cannabis, the falsification of identification cards and the adulteration of medical cannabis.

• Clarify that no patient, caregiver, medical cannabis organization, or practitioner shall be subject to arrest or penalty or denied any right or privilege for lawful use of medical cannabis.

• Allow medical cannabis to be administered through vaporization or in oil or pill form. Smoking and edibles will be prohibited. Strict limits and testing requirements will apply to the amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol, which must be disclosed through plain labeling of medical cannabis products. The bill provides a process for the recall of defective or inaccurately labeled medical cannabis.

• Require medical cannabis organizations to adopt and maintain security, tracking, recording-keeping and surveillance systems related to medical cannabis. It also requires real-time inventory tracking from seed-to-sale.

• Charge the department with the responsibility of providing a written report every two years describing the implementation of the act, an assessment of the benefits and risks to patients receiving medical cannabis, and any recommendations for amendments to the law.

“As a mother, I cannot even imagine the anguish of watching one of my children suffer from a debilitating and painful disease such as MS or cancer and being powerless to help them. Imagine a doctor telling a mother that their child could get relief from their pain with medical cannabis, but they can’t because they live in Pennsylvania,” said Delozier.
“This legislation is a different approach than what has been offered so far in Pennsylvania. We know that not everyone will be pleased with this approach. It will be too narrow for some, and too expansive for others.

But we feel that this measure allows us to build a real consensus in the legislature and start a medical cannabis program in Pennsylvania. If successfully implemented, the program can be expanded or contracted in the future, to adjust for changing medical knowledge and public comfort in allowing safe medical cannabis access,” said Marsico. “We believe that Senate Bill 3, while motivated by genuine compassion, is not satisfactory legislation for some and does not go far enough towards implementing a responsible, narrow, regulated piece of legislation that allows the medical use of medical cannabis while taking special precautions against abuse or diversion of cannabis for non-medical purposes.”

This legislation truly provides a good middle ground and is truly compromise legislation. We believe it will allow us to safely implement the use of medical cannabis in this state. The language has been carefully drafted to ensure smooth implementation and reach our goal of helping those who so desperately need it.
“I believe that it is imperative that we pass legislation which allows for the use of medical cannabis in Pennsylvania. It is important that we show compassion to those who suffer from a number of illnesses. Doctors should have access to all medicines available, which may help relieve debilitating sickness and pain,” said Regan.
House Bill 1432 has not yet been assigned to a committee.

Marijuana: A whole new ballgame — talk with your kids

by Chris Houck

“It’s a whole new ballgame.” The conversation — “When I was a kid…” can be a good way to start talking about marijuana showing we were kids once, too. But it can be tricky. The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids wants parents to know that marijuana is more potent by far today than in the past. The THC concentration (psychoactive ingredient) in marijuana was about 4 percent in the 1980s; it now averages 14.5 percent and some strains contain as much as 30 percent.
Knowing that marijuana (pot, weed, joint) can be more dangerous than when you were a kid makes it all the more important to have a conversation. Imagine your teen asking, “Did you smoke weed when you were young?” If you didn’t, make sure your teen knows that and the reasons why you chose not to use. If you did smoke pot, acknowledge that; talk about your experience and what you did to overcome an unhealthy choice. Explain why you are concerned about what could happen to your teen if they use marijuana.

And if you find it hard to have that conversation, find a trusted adult who can. Research shows that parents and other adults have a big influence on teens even when it doesn’t seem that way. If you have the conversation, here are questions a teen may raise and ways you can respond:
1. It’s legal in some states. Why would they make something legal that could hurt me? This is a reasonable question and is confusing.

Ask your teen to think about other things that are legal but can be dangerous and unhealthy like smoking tobacco (legal at age 18, but not healthy). Keeping the dialogue open is really important.
2. Weed is safer than alcohol. Encourage your teen to think about any drug and the potential for harm. Point out the harmful effects of marijuana that may not be thought about but can be life changing:
• Interferes with judgment, potentially leading to risky behaviors and making it unsafe to drive.

• Causes changes in the brain and impairs memory; associated with school failures and over time, reduced intellectual level.

• Can be addictive (marijuana is estimated to produce addiction in about 1 in 6, or 17 percent, for users who start in their teens).

• Connected with leading to other drug use later such as heroin.

Having the conversation is the most important thing. Your teen will benefit from your honesty, knowing you are willing to listen, that you care about their safety and future and that you want the best for them. This is true not only for marijuana but for alcohol and other drugs. Resources are available for you on the Rice County Chemical Health Coalition website (www.ricecountychc.com), and the Marijuana Talk Kit from the Partnership for Drug Free Kids. Medical marijuana will be legal in Minnesota this summer making the issue even more complex. Don’t wait. Have the conversation. Talk and listen, soon and often.

Half of students have used cannabis

By Cormac O'Keeffe
Nearly half of third-level students have recently smoked cannabis and almost a third have recently taken ecstasy, research indicates.

Almost all of the 2,700 students surveyed — across more than 30 institutions — drink alcohol and a third said they engaged in binge drinking every week.
The findings have led to calls for more education and harm reduction messages in colleges, including on the risks posed by combining alcohol and illegal drugs and the higher potency of substances such as ecstasy.
The survey conducted by drugs researcher Tim Bingham and psychologist Colin O’Driscoll, was carried out between October and December 2014. They were assisted by the students’ unions in various colleges and by Students for Sensible Drug Policy in certain institutions.

It found that 98% of students consumed alcohol at some stage, while 59% said they smoked cigarettes. In addition, 61% said they had taken prescription drugs at some stage, while 57% said they had taken illegal drugs at least once in their life.
When it came to recent usage, defined as taking a substance within the last year, 49% of respondents said they had taken an illegal drug. Recent usage results show:

• 98% had drunk alcohol;
• 49% had smoked ‘normal-strength’ cannabis weed;
• 44% had smoked ‘high-potency’ weed;
• 32% had taken ecstasy (MDMA) tablets;
• 26% had smoked ‘high- potency’ cannabis resin;
• 25% had taken MDMA in powder form;
• 25% had smoked low/medium cannabis resin;
• 20% had taken cocaine.

In addition, 11% had taken LSD (acid), while 11% had taken ketamine (a hallucinogenic anaesthetic).
“I’m quite surprised about the figures for ecstasy and MDMA powder, which are higher than I would have expected,” Mr Bingham said.
“Also, the figure for ketamine is higher than I would have expected.”
However, he said the ecstasy findings reflected indications from other sources which point to greater availability and supply of ecstasy, due in part to increased access to precursor chemicals that make the drug.

Bodies such as the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction have highlighted both increased manufacture and increased potency of ecstasy, which was posing dangers to unsuspecting users.
Last May, drama student Ana Hick, aged 18, died after taking two ecstasy tablets at a Dublin club. One of the tablets is known to gardaí as typically containing a high quantity of MDMA, which is the ecstasy chemical.

Mr Bingham said: “We need to provide education and harm reduction information to students, particularly for MDMA, which we know from other evidence is getting stronger, with up to 80% purity. People may not be used to it and need harm reduction information.”

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He said he backs ‘safer dancing’ initiatives, which have been running for decades in many European countries, as well as test centres at festivals and clubs where users can get pills tested to see what is in them.

David L. Nathan: Don't fall for warnings about pot

• By David L. Nathan

  
  

  It’s no secret. Most Americans now favor making marijuana legal. The national numbers are similar to those in Rhode Island, where a recent poll showed that 57 percent of Rhode Island residents support legalization. Prohibitionists are rapidly losing the debate because the facts are against them. Nonetheless, they continue to repeat three arguments that have been thoroughly debunked by objective scientific research.

   First, opponents of legalization claim that marijuana is a "gateway" to hard drugs like cocaine and heroin. Numerous studies over the past 70 years — including one commissioned by the White House — have discredited this hypothesis. Yet prohibitionists continue to claim that marijuana use leads to later use of heroin and other dangerous drugs. Roughly half of all American adults have tried marijuana. If marijuana is a "gateway drug" as opponents claim, why do we find that only 2 percent of Americans have ever tried heroin?

   Second, prohibitionists commonly argue that making marijuana legal will lead to carnage on the highways. That has not been the case in Colorado, where the number of traffic fatalities in 2014 was on par with those of previous years. Furthermore, several studies have shown that marijuana causes far less driving impairment than alcohol intoxication.

  Research released in February from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05 or above increases the odds of a fatal car accident sevenfold. The same study found that after adjusting for age, gender, race, and alcohol use, drivers who used marijuana were no more likely to be in a fatal car accident than drivers who had not used any drugs or alcohol prior to driving.

   Third — and most importantly — opponents of legalization have insisted that marijuana use will skyrocket among teens when it is made legal for adults, but few of them acknowledge that marijuana is already widely available and used by adolescents under prohibition. Since the 1970s, the University of Michigan’s Monitoring the Future Study has consistently found that 80 to 90 percent of high school seniors report that marijuana is “fairly easy” or “very easy” to obtain.

   While remaining legal for adults, alcohol and cigarette use among teens has steadily declined to historic lows in recent decades. But teen use of marijuana has risen despite its prohibition. In fact, marijuana prohibition could be increasing teen use. Alcohol and tobacco retailers check IDs and refuse to sell to minors, but unscrupulous street corner drug dealers will sell marijuana — along with hard drugs — to minors.

   Although prohibitionists claim that making marijuana legal for adults “sends the wrong message to kids,” teen marijuana use in Colorado has remained level since legalization. The fact that prohibitionists’ dire prediction did not materialize may explain why polls show more Colorado voters now support legal marijuana than did in 2012.

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.

Mentally ill woman who slit two children's throats as they slept is freed after jury ruled heavy cannabis use sent her temporarily insane

• Sadie Jenkins, 28, started taking cannabis aged 11 and took amphetamines
• She was found not guilty of the two small children by reasons of insanity 
• Cardiff Crown Court heard Jenkins slashed the children with a steak knife
• A Judge imposed a two-year supervision order on Jenkins with drug tests

By Darren Boyle

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Sadie Jenkins, pictured, slashed the throats of two children while high on cannabis because she received a secret message from a US TV show

A woman who slashed the throats of two children as they slept was told by a judge that she would not be sent to prison because she was 'temporarily insane' due to heavy cannabis use. 

Sadie Jenkins, 28, of no fixed abode, was staying overnight in the home in Newport, South Wales when she went into the bedroom of a 16-month-old girl and a seven-year-old boy, carrying a steak knife. 

Cardiff Crown Court heard that Jenkins, 28, slashed  the two children, when the two homeowners entered room and disarmed her. 

As they grappled with Jenkins, she shouted: 'Sorry, it had to be done.'

The baby girl’s throat was 'slashed open and bleeding' and the boy’s neck had a 'gaping wound' at the house in Newport, South Wales.

The two injured children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were taken to the Royal Gwent Hospital and underwent immediate surgery to treat

A judge today imposed a two-year supervision order on Jenkins ordering her to be drug tested frequently and provide body samples at least once a week.

Mrs Justice Carr told Jenkins: 'At the time of the attack you were in the grip of psychosis as a result of illegal drug taking on a a daily basis and you deliberately withheld information from your GP.

 

'Once can only hope that you understand the consequences of drug taking.'

But the judge told Cardiff Crown Court she was 'troubled' by the fact that under the supervision order there was no provision for medical treatment.

The court heard that the boy suffered an 8cm wound to his neck which made the 'deep structures in his neck visible' and required 20 stitches.

The 16-month-old girl was left with a 6cm-long injury which had cut through the skin, fat and muscle and needed 15 stitches to close.

Jenkins, of no fixed abode, denied the attempted murder of the two children and claimed she was 'legally insane' at the time of the attack because her prolonged drug use had made her psychotic.

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Jenkins started taking cannabis when she was aged just 11 and also took amphetamines regularly 

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Jenkins was found not guilty of attempted murder by reason of insanity following a trial earlier this year

Prosecutor Paul Lewis said: 'She has been seen my mental health professionals and two consultant forensic psychiatrists have come to the conclusion that at the crucial time she was suffering from an amphetamine induced psychotic illness.

'The doctors are of the opinion that when she attacked the children, her mental condition was such that she knew what she was doing but she didn’t know that her actions were wrong.'

Jenkins told doctors she thought she was saving the children from “a fate worse than death” when she slashed their throats.

Her lawyer Patrick Harrington QC told the court: 'She vociferously asserts she is living a decent honest life now.

'She has tested negative in every drug test and then indications are she is not taking any substances.'

Jenkins believed that the mafia were out to get her and that she had received a secret message from US TV show CSI. 

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Mrs Justice Carr today imposed a supervision order on Jenkins after medical professionals agreed that detaining her in a mental health facility was not appropriate, neither was an absolute discharge 

She told a doctor: 'I picked up the sharpest knife because I wanted it to

be quick and easy.'

The court heard that Jenkins started smoking cannabis aged 11 after being bullied in school and suffering the death of her father. 

On Friday she sobbed quietly in the dock at Cardiff Crown Court as as order under the Mental Health Act was made by Mrs Justice Carr.

She told Miss Jenkins: 'This has been a tragedy for the children. They will be physically and emotionally scared forever.

'You were under stresses at the time but there was no excuse for your drug-taking.'

The court heard medical experts had agreed Miss Jenkins did not need hospital treatment and the judge said an absolute discharge - one of the other disposals available to the court under the Criminal Procedure (Insanity) Act 1964 following the jury’s verdict - was not appropriate.

The only other option was intensive supervision under a named supervising officer.

The judge said the officer would be 'carrying a heavy burden' but was aware of what she was taking on.

Patrick Harrington QC, for Jenkins, who has now been found accommodation at an undisclosed address, said the offcer was 'going into it with her eyes open' having fully appraised herself of the situation and of Miss Jenkins’ background.

The judge told Miss Jenkins, of Newport: 'For some months [prior to the attack] you had been taking amphetamine on a daily basis - information you deliberately withheld from your GP.

'One can only hope now that you understand the consequences of your drug-taking and the wider public also understands.' 

Marijuana Facts and Myths: Legalization Advocates Debunk Pot Risks in Israel

Facts and myths about marijuana fuel an ongoing debate about its use throughout the world. Pot proponents working in Israel are quick to debunk risks associated with the drug's use, noting the ongoing discoveries of medicinal benefits for many users.

Many of those from the scientific community urge more study rather than condemnation of harmful effects, noting the importance of research in debunking myths.

"Cannabis, as a whole plant, is very, very useful. We need to understand it better, understand whether or not some of the compounds by themselves are beneficial or if they all need to work together to be beneficial. It’s not well-understood," Dr. Alan Shackelford, a U.S. doctor who is working with Israel on its medical marijuana program, told Haaretz.

“There’s definitely a medical benefit, and it’s not highly addictive, and the abuse potential is there. But the abuse potential is there for legal pharmaceuticals, like narcotic pain medicine," Shackelford said. "And the abuse of narcotics can be dangerous, because people die from overdoses of narcotics. No one has ever died of a cannabis overdose.”

The elder statesman of marijuana research in Israel also touts its virtues, and notes his country's freedom to study those more.

“I believe that the cannabinoids represent a medicinal treasure trove which waits to be discovered,” Hebrew University Professor Raphael Mechoulam told online news magazine ISRAEL21c.

Mechoulam began study of the properties of cannabis in the 1960s and has led Israel to the forefront of such study around the world.

There are more than 480 components of the cannabis plant, and 66 are classified as cannabinoids, CNN reported. Research on these compounds and their effects continues. Mechoulam said the medicinal benefits of the plant may be more effective when used together with the whole plant, rather than isolated.

Marijuana Facts and Myths: Israeli Health Officials Explain Risks of Pot

By Andrea Billups 
Israel is paving the way on global marijuana research, helping to sort through facts and myths about the drug. Some health officials in Israel are warning that there are risks associated with consumption.

“The effects of cannabis differ from one person to the next and depend on the dosage, the method of delivery, the past experience of the user with the medication, the patients’ surroundings (his expectations of treatment, his attitude toward the effects of the substance, his mood and the social environment), and the amount of use," a report from the Israel Phamacists' Association released in January warned, according to Haaretz.

The report offered caution to users of all stripes, noting pot can elicit feelings of "euphoria or dysphoria, calm, anxiety or even psychosis," Haartez said.

The group cautioned that negative drawbacks occurred from those who were chronic or high-dose users. But it warned that those with such psychiatric conditions as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder should not use medical marijuana.

Elderly patients, by turn, can suffer increased risks for high blood pressure, heart attack as well as blood vessel damage and stroke, the report noted, adding that “long-term use of cannabis through aspiration increases the risk of inflammation of the jaw and the tonsils, asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia and lung cancer," Haaretz noted.

The Israel Ambulatory Pediatric Association also warned about medical pot use in children, Haaretz reported in a separate story.

Such prescriptions for children are rare, but pot is used in Israel for youth with severe epilepsy, Haaretz said, citing the group's position paper released in February.

“Cannabis should not be recommended for children with a known tendency to psychosis or a family history of mental illness,” the pediatric association's paper noted.

Israeli researchers are developing strains of marijuana with high concentrations of the anti-inflammatory agent cannabidiol, or CBD, and low amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which is associated with the "high" feelings the plant is known for, The Washington Post reported.

Thornhill girl’s seizures end with cannabidiol-rich medical marijuana oil

By Jennifer Cheng

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Gwen Repetski was diagnosed with epilepsy when she had her first seizure in 2012. Her father,
Alexander Repetski feeds Gwen cannabidiol CBD three times a day, and she hasn’t had a seizure since
the treatment began.

Image: Alexander Repetski

Gwenevere “Gwen” Repetski turned three about a week before Father’s Day and her parents are overjoyed to see their daughter crawling and laughing.
She was diagnosed with epilepsy when she had her first seizure in 2012. Her father, Alexander Repetski, said they tried pretty much everything to help her, and nothing was working: about eight drugs over two years. The first one, Sabril, was only reducing her observable seizures, but an EEG showed massive epileptic activity in her brain. The second was a steroid called ACTH, which made her put on half her body weight in three weeks.

“Gwen wasn’t very happy; she wasn’t even ticklish. Her brain was in a constant state of chaos. She had anywhere from two to 100 seizures a day,” said Repetski, adding that her cognitive development had halted at that point.
He also recalls that she could not walk, only sit up, and even then she would fall down most of the time in their Thornhill home. “Her brain wasn’t connecting the dots,” said Repetski, who reduced his work hours during this time to focus on researching epilepsy, a debilitating neurological disorder which affects one in 100 Canadians.

When he came across cannabidiol (CBD), found in the marijuana  plant, as a therapy for epilepsy, he started inundating physicians with information until one agreed to write a prescription allowing his daughter to take marijuana. “The doctor felt there was no chance it could hurt her.”
However, criminal lawyer Daniel Brown said Repetski is technically in violation of the federal Marijuana for Medical Purposes Regulations, which went into effect in 2014.

“I think the law is unconstitutional, but it says anyone with a marijuana prescription must keep it in dried form,” he said.
Gwen could not smoke the pot as an infant, so Repetski has been making marijuana oil in his kitchen, then sending it off to a lab for testing. He feeds Gwen CBD three times a day, and she hasn’t had a seizure since the treatment began.

One of her physiotherapists, Bernadette Connor, said she has seen a dramatic improvement in Gwen’s gross motor development and general interest and interaction within her environment in the last six months since Gwen started using CBD.
“She is progressing well towards independent walking without the interruption of seizures,” Connor wrote in an email to Post City.

“It was important to tell this story because there are many parents out there who are looking at this as a possible therapy for their kids,” said Repetski, who now works for MedReleaf, the only licensed Canadian producer of Gwen’s marijuana, a CBD-rich cannabis strain called Avidekel.
“When you’re dealing with a two-year-old kid, asking them to wait has a catastrophic effect on development,” Repetski said. “Gwenevere is far more alert and connected to the world around her and us now.”

Medical Marijuana Saved Our Daughter's Life

After brain surgery and countless medications, Roger and Lora Barbour say cannabis oil has finally helped their daughter's severe epilepsy.

By Asher Fogle

John Munson / NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

One morning in May, Roger and Lora Barbour were sitting in their home office when their 16-year-old daughter Genny strolled in, kissed her father's cheek and said, "I love Dada."
"I started crying and almost fell off my chair," Roger recalls. It was a milestone: Genny, who has autism and severe epilepsy, had been nonverbal for most of her life, speaking in one-word demands — "Eat." "Sleep." "Toilet." "Go." He says, "So this was unbelievable. A full, three word sentence!"

The next week, she was sitting in the upstairs bedroom and told her mother, Lora, "I love Mom!" They ran to show Roger, and had another breakthrough. "She said it, and then was able to say 'I love Dad' when I asked,'" Lora says. "For an autistic kid, she has trouble changing from one thing to another, so it was incredible."
After more than 15 years of trying to ease her seizures, her parents credit Genny's dramatic improvement to the daily doses of edible medical marijuana she's received since September.

"Her behavior has vastly improved, her clarity is incredible, and her seizures are under control," says Roger. Or, as Lora puts it, "She's not a zombie anymore."
But it's also put her family in the middle of a legal battle over the right to give her medication at school.

A Scary Diagnosis

High school sweethearts, Roger and Lora Barbour met in 9th and 10th grade. They married 10 years later and built a house in Maple Shade, New Jersey, near Philadelphia. Then, after an easy pregnancy, Genevieve (Genny) was born in January 1999, and was, for the first three months, completely healthy.
"Genny had just started to smile," says Lora. "You know that time when you wake up and can't wait to see your baby because she's like, 'Yeah, there's mom' and smiles at you and wiggles in her crib?" But one day, something was wrong. Genny was having what looked like a Moro reflex — but rapidly — flexing her hands and legs. And her pupils were quickly dilating back and forth, from tiny pinpricks to wide open.

They called her pediatrician and took Genny to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's neurology department. She was diagnosed with infantile spasms, a rare epileptic disorder that can result in cognitive impairment, cerebral palsy, and even autism. Says Lora, "We knew it was bad."
Their physician recommended Sabril, a new drug that wasn't even FDA approved yet (it was eventually approved in 2009) and had to be shipped from Canada. During that time, Genny was having hourly seizures during the day, and every two hours at night. "We were a mess," admits Lora. "My nerves were so shot." After three months on Sabril, the near-constant seizing pattern gradually subsided.

When Genny was 2 years old, her parents made a radical choice: To remove part of her brain. For a frontal lobectomy, EEG wires are put on her brain to localize where the seizures were occurring. Then, doctors cut or use a laser to take out a part — the right frontal lobe in Genny's case — hopefully stopping the fits, explains Roger. "It was a nightmare experience ... and it was a total failure." The day after they returned home from two weeks in the hospital, Genny had another one.

Two years later, doctors ruled out another surgery because the seizures were occurring in a region of the brain where removal would do far more harm than good and possibly even cause paralysis.
Around this time, they also weighed whether to have another child. "That was pretty scary," admits Roger. But they went ahead and had Marlee, now 12, who is healthy and athletic. "She's totally fine."

Courtesy of Lora Barbour

Two year-old Genny at her frontal lobectomy (left) and undergoing EEG tests at age 4 (right)

Searching for Treatment

For more than 15 years, Genny has had seizures at least every other day, says Roger. "Grand mal, tonic-clonic, full-blown, fall-to-the-floor seizures." Anytime her parents hear a thud in the house, they start running. "We've saved her life at least six times, from drowning in a kiddie pool to getting strangled in bed — she would fall out and get choked by the sheets."
Lora even sleeps in Genny's bedroom to keep her safe. "That's just our life," she says. "We'd lose our girl."

When Genny was 10, they tried a ketogenic diet, a high-fat plan (supervised by a doctor) that sometimes helps with epilepsy. Typical meals included a paste of 2 Tbs. butter, crushed macademia nuts, ham, and mayonnaise, says Lora, "We'd have to force her to each it, but we did that religiously for a year." Still, nothing controlled her seizures.
The Barbours tried an exhausting range of medicines: Potiga, Neurontin, Gabitril, Topamax, Vimpat, Frisium, Onfi, Keppra, Fycompa, Trileptal, Zonegran, Phenobarbital, Depakote, Sabril and Dia-Stat.

"Genny had gone through all the good ones," says Roger. They also tried five newly-approved medications last year. None worked. Some had horrible side effects — from making her vomit to leaving her catatonic — and she missed 40% of her school days last year as a result.
They sought a second opinion. Another treatment option was ruled out: A procedure called Corpus Callosum, which divides the halves of the brain. "The hope is that the seizures would stop communicating from each hemisphere. But she would most likely be paralyzed on one side of her body," says Roger. They had reached an impasse.

Finally, one doctor mentioned trying medical cannabis. Genny qualified under New Jersey's medicinal marijuana program because her epilepsy was resistant to other conventional therapy.
She briefly entered into a clinical trial through the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for Epidiolex, a form of CBD-only medical marijuana — but was "kicked out," says Lora, when she had more seizures the second month than the first.
Shortly thereafter, Lora completed the 9-month process to receive her medical marijuana license, and last August, they started Genny on the drug themselves.

Courtesy of Lora Barbour

Making Marijuana at Home

Through a network of other parents of epileptic children on medical marijuana, Lora got instructions to cook the plant into oil. (Standardized information on preparation and doses is difficult to find because scientific studies have been limited — and the effects can vary from patient to patient.) Once a month, she drives three hours to a dispensary to buy the raw marijuana — for $600 cash. It's not covered by insurance. At home, she grinds it into a powder, bakes it in the oven on a cookie sheet, then puts that into a piece of cheesecloth that is tied like a tea bag. Then, it cooks in a crock-pot of pure coconut oil for three hours.

While the cost adds up, their biggest concern is the lack of regulation. "In Colorado, you can buy oil like Charlotte's Web with a barcode on it — the grade, the strength, whatever. It's all pharmaceutically made," explains Roger. "In New Jersey, we can't even really get ours tested."
That can be risky: "I might make it stronger one time, or overcook it, or change the chemical composition," Lora adds. "But that's what we're left to do — and we don't have time to wait, because any seizure could kill her."

Genny takes a combination of three forms of cannabis. One is similar to the Colorado wonder drug Charlotte's Web, packed with cannabidiol (CBD), an antioxidant, and containing trace amounts of THC too small to create a high. "But she's also on some strains that have more THC because the Epilepsy Foundation and other advicates are convinced that epileptics need the whole plant," says Roger.

She receives three eyedropper-sized doses of the oil in a glass of cola — first thing in the morning, after school, and before bedtime. The number of her seizures has drastically declined — Genny only had two absences during the 2014-2015 school year. For the first time ever, her teacher even asked to make the goals of her individual education plan harder because she'd mastered things like counting to ten.

But she started having trouble at Larc, the non-profit special-needs school she attends in Bellmawr, New Jersey. Genny would start the day docile, engaged, and happy, and by the time she returned home, she would be aggressive and throwing tantrums. The medicine was wearing off in the afternoons. On bad days, her arms would be covered by self-inflicted bites and bruises as she vented her frustration at being restrained in a chair.

Her doctor recommended a fourth dose with lunch. But when they asked permission, the Maple Shade school district and Larc officials immediately said no. (Maple Shade school district representatives declined to comment.)
Many other parents operate under a "don't ask, don't tell" policy, says Roger, where they put their children's medical marijuana in applesauce and don't tell the schools. The Barbours feel they're being penalized for trying to be upfront. "We're rule followers," says Roger. "We didn't want to break the law, we didn't want to cheat."

Courtesy of Lora Barbour

Their Legal Battle

In December, they petitioned the state Office of Special Education to let Genny to take her lunchtime dose at school. When that was denied, they sought relief through the state courts, but in January, Administrative Law Judge John S. Kennedy ruled in favor of the school district, citing that The Drug Free School Act and the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act conflict with each other. Another legal hurdle is that under state medical marijuana law, only Lora, Genny's designated caregiver, can administer her medicine — and not a school nurse.

As an attorney, Roger has frequently helped advise school districts like the one he's now suing. The school attorneys even spoke to him about what he would have done in their position, and, he admits, he doesn't know. "It's a hard decision, because it's illegal under federal law and you're funded by federal dollars. I understand it, but it sucks. This is my daughter."

When Genny was home for spring break in April, her parents gave upping her doses a try — with staggering results. She was seizure-free for seven days, the longest stretch ever. But when she returned to school, they were faced with a choice: Skip her lunchtime dose and risk regression, or only send her to half-days at Larc — at the cost of her education. Says Lora, "We love her school, but what do you do as a parent? We couldn't risk it."

The school proposed that Lora drive to school mid-day to give Genny her dose off school grounds and then bring her back in the afternoon, which the Barbours rejected. "She was having these behavior issues and tantrums, and I can't control her," explains Lora. If Genny escaped on the busy street near the school, she could have rushed into traffic. "It just wasn't safe." And for an autistic child who struggles to transition, the disruption could potentially make things worse.

"All we want is a court order that says the nurse has to give it to her at lunch," says Roger. "Other parents don't have to go to school to give their kids medicine."
On June 25, the Barbours will present their appeal before the same judge. If they lose, they say they will appeal to the federal level. But they may not have to: On June 22, two state legislators introduced a bill that would require school boards to set policies allowing medical marijuana to be used in schools — by parents or a person they designate. (It would allow edible oil only, no one can smoke pot on school grounds.)

For the rest of the school year, Genny went to half-days, which she will do for the summer session unless they get a court order. With four doses a day, the Barbours have decreased Genny's other anti-seizure medicines. She's down to just Depakote, which she has taken since infancy.
They compare the effects of marijuana on Genny to giving amphetamines to children with ADHD. "That slows a child who is off the walls down, even though it doesn't make sense," says Lora.

"We're not getting Genny high, because it doesn't work on her body that way. She doesn't get like people who smoke a joint, all glassy-eyed. She gets more alert."
Genny talks, does puzzles, dances, and sing songs. She teases and even acts bored. "I swear, she's understanding emotions," muses Roger. "It used to be, 'Genny let's do this, Let's do that.' She instigates it now. She'll go get a coloring book, look in your face, and say, 'Color.' That never happened!"
"Even if it stopped working on her seizures, every other benefit of it is unbelievable," says Lora. "It's ironic. We've finally found something that works to keep her safe, and they won't let us use it."