In a shift, proposed legislation is backed by statewide pediatricians’ group
Chris Lloyd and his
6-year-old son, Henry, who has epilepsy, in their home in Pawcatuck,
Conn. Henry takes more than 20 pills a day.
Photo:
Christopher Beauchamp for The Wall Street Journa By Joseph De Avila
Lawmakers in Hartford are weighing whether to allow people under the age of 18 to take part in Connecticut’s medical-marijuana program. Connecticut is the only state out of the 23 that have legalized the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes that doesn’t allow children some access, according to Americans for Safe Access, a medical-marijuana advocacy group.
Unlike a similar proposal last year, the idea this year has the backing of a statewide pediatricians’ group.
The proposed legislation, which has bipartisan support and the backing of the Malloy administration, would permit minors with terminal illnesses, severe epilepsy or other debilitating conditions to use medical marijuana.
Advocates say marijuana can be used as a substitute for more powerful painkillers such as Oxycodone and have reported anecdotally that it could help those with epilepsy reduce the number of seizures they have. The parent or guardian of the patient would be required to give written consent.
Some Connecticut lawmakers are still uncomfortable with medical marijuana even as the program gains more acceptance. State Sen. Toni Boucher, a Republican and longtime anti-marijuana advocate, said how it affects brain development in children shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Linda Lloyd with her son, Henry, who has epilepsy. She wants him to be able to use medical marijuana to treat his condition.
Photo:
Christopher Beauchamp for The Wall Street Journal
“I really think they are playing with fire here,” Ms. Boucher said. “Too many are taking a cavalier view of this.”
Linda Lloyd’s 6-year-old son, Henry, has epilepsy, and she wants him to be able to use the drug with hopes it can more effectively treat his condition than his current regimen of five medications. He takes more than 20 pills a day that “have horrible side effects,” she said.
“I can’t buy that there is anything that marijuana can do that can be any worse in his case,” said Ms. Lloyd, 45, who lives in Pawcatuck, Conn.
In New York and New Jersey, minors can qualify as medical marijuana patients if certified for the program by a physician and a parent or a legal guardian consents to it.
The Connecticut proposal has the support of the commissioner of the Department of Public Health and the commissioner of Department of Consumer Protection, which oversees the state’s medical-marijuana program.
‘It’s the compassionate thing to do,” said Jonathan Harris, commissioner of the Department of Consumer Protection.
The Connecticut chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics opposed efforts last year to open up the program to minors but now supports it. One major change the group secured requires a pediatrician be on the program’s board of physicians. The board would determine what medical conditions should be added to the list of qualifying conditions for the program.
Under the proposal, children wouldn’t be allowed to smoke marijuana, but would be able to consume it in edible forms like cookies or in pills, or other formats.
Jillian Wood, executive director of the Connecticut Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said her members grappled with concerns about the effects that marijuana would have on brain development for children. But the group decided the potential to alleviate the conditions for children outweighed the risks, she said.
“In many cases, there is no relief for these families. Who are we to say, ‘No, you can’t try this,’” Ms. Wood said.
Meanwhile, as other New England states such as Vermont, Rhode Island, Maine and Massachusetts consider legalizing recreational marijuana this year, a group of about a dozen state lawmakers in Connecticut has begun advocating for legalization. Those legalization efforts didn’t gain much traction this year, and Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy has said he is opposed.
Mr. Malloy signed legislation in 2011, during his first year in office, that decriminalized possession of less than a half-ounce of marijuana. That dropped possession of that amount to a misdemeanor offense punishable by up to a $150 fine for the first offense. In 2012, he approved a bill that legalized medical marijuana for adults with debilitating illnesses.
The governor, however, hasn’t been willing to consider taking the next step to legalize the drug for recreational purposes. “I think when you legalize marijuana you are encouraging marijuana and that’s not the place I want to go,” Mr. Malloy said earlier this month.
State Rep. Ed Vargas, a Democrat, one of the earliest supporters of legalizing marijuana in Connecticut, said he expected more political momentum next year when there isn’t an election.
Connecticut lawmakers are also under pressure to find new sources of tax revenue as they confront budget shortfalls on an annual basis, he noted.
Connecticut is mirroring other states that have come closer to embracing legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes, said Jared Moffat, Rhode Island political director of the Marijuana Policy Project, a research and advocacy group.
“I expect them to follow a similar path that Rhode Island and Vermont have as the Legislature sees that these other incremental reforms doesn’t cause the sky to fall and actually produces a lot of good results, then they become more receptive and open to a conversation of adult use,” Mr. Moffat said.
Bo Huhn, an executive board member of Developmental Assets for Youth of Guilford, a drug-prevention group, said it would be a misstep for Connecticut to consider legalizing recreational marijuana.
He said advocates overstate the potential for tax revenue and understate the risks for teen users. “It just feels very discouraging to me if Connecticut takes this path,” Mr. Huhn said.
Linda Lloyd with her son, Henry, who has epilepsy. She wants him to be able to use medical marijuana to treat his condition.
Photo:
Christopher Beauchamp for The Wall Street Journal
Linda Lloyd’s 6-year-old son, Henry, has epilepsy, and she wants him to be able to use the drug with hopes it can more effectively treat his condition than his current regimen of five medications. He takes more than 20 pills a day that “have horrible side effects,” she said.
“I can’t buy that there is anything that marijuana can do that can be any worse in his case,” said Ms. Lloyd, 45, who lives in Pawcatuck, Conn.
In New York and New Jersey, minors can qualify as medical marijuana patients if certified for the program by a physician and a parent or a legal guardian consents to it.
The Connecticut proposal has the support of the commissioner of the Department of Public Health and the commissioner of Department of Consumer Protection, which oversees the state’s medical-marijuana program.
The Connecticut chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics opposed efforts last year to open up the program to minors but now supports it. One major change the group secured requires a pediatrician be on the program’s board of physicians. The board would determine what medical conditions should be added to the list of qualifying conditions for the program.
Under the proposal, children wouldn’t be allowed to smoke marijuana, but would be able to consume it in edible forms like cookies or in pills, or other formats.
Jillian Wood, executive director of the Connecticut Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said her members grappled with concerns about the effects that marijuana would have on brain development for children. But the group decided the potential to alleviate the conditions for children outweighed the risks, she said.
“In many cases, there is no relief for these families. Who are we to say, ‘No, you can’t try this,’” Ms. Wood said.
Meanwhile, as other New England states such as Vermont, Rhode Island, Maine and Massachusetts consider legalizing recreational marijuana this year, a group of about a dozen state lawmakers in Connecticut has begun advocating for legalization. Those legalization efforts didn’t gain much traction this year, and Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy has said he is opposed.
Mr. Malloy signed legislation in 2011, during his first year in office, that decriminalized possession of less than a half-ounce of marijuana. That dropped possession of that amount to a misdemeanor offense punishable by up to a $150 fine for the first offense. In 2012, he approved a bill that legalized medical marijuana for adults with debilitating illnesses.
The governor, however, hasn’t been willing to consider taking the next step to legalize the drug for recreational purposes. “I think when you legalize marijuana you are encouraging marijuana and that’s not the place I want to go,” Mr. Malloy said earlier this month.
State Rep. Ed Vargas, a Democrat, one of the earliest supporters of legalizing marijuana in Connecticut, said he expected more political momentum next year when there isn’t an election.
Connecticut lawmakers are also under pressure to find new sources of tax revenue as they confront budget shortfalls on an annual basis, he noted.
Connecticut is mirroring other states that have come closer to embracing legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes, said Jared Moffat, Rhode Island political director of the Marijuana Policy Project, a research and advocacy group.
“I expect them to follow a similar path that Rhode Island and Vermont have as the Legislature sees that these other incremental reforms doesn’t cause the sky to fall and actually produces a lot of good results, then they become more receptive and open to a conversation of adult use,” Mr. Moffat said.
Bo Huhn, an executive board member of Developmental Assets for Youth of Guilford, a drug-prevention group, said it would be a misstep for Connecticut to consider legalizing recreational marijuana.
He said advocates overstate the potential for tax revenue and understate the risks for teen users. “It just feels very discouraging to me if Connecticut takes this path,” Mr. Huhn said.
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