Pubdate: Thu, 24 Apr 2014
Source: Calgary Herald (CN AB)
Page: A22
Copyright: 2014 Postmedia Network
Contact:  http://www.calgaryherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/66
Author: James Miller

MARIJUANA SOUGHT FOR EPILEPTIC CHILD

PENTICTON, B.C. - When a retired police officer from Summerland, B.C.,
left his job after 25 years, he hardly imagined fighting for his
little granddaughter to be given marijuana.

Chris Nuessler, along with his wife, Elaine, wants Canada to allow
two-year-old Kyla Williams to be given a form of medical marijuana
known to prevent seizures resulting from epilepsy.

The girl's parents, Jared and Courtney Williams, along with the
Nuesslers, have been researching medical pot use and speaking with
experts to build what they're calling "Kyla's medical team."

They say Kyla has suffered severe side-effects from prescription drugs
when she could be helped like other children in the United States.

A strain of marijuana commonly called Charlotte's Web has been known
to help kids in the U.S., but it's illegal in Canada.

It contains very little THC, which provides the buzz recreational pot
users crave, and is mostly made up of CBD, which limits the severity
and frequency of seizures.

Named after a girl named Charlotte Figi who has epilepsy, the weed has
allowed her to develop and enjoy a more normal life.

In Canada, the only form of legalized medical marijuana is dried,
meaning Kyla would have to smoke it.

Chris Nuessler said his view of marijuana as medicine has radically
changed since his policing days.

"For me it was back to the 1980s and 1990s mindset when I was busting
people. I had to do a 180 (degree turn) and start researching this."

Kyla appeared to be a healthy, little girl for the first six months of
her life until her mother noticed she wasn't progressing at a normal
rate and had unusual eye movements.

After she was seen by a pediatrician, Kyla was rushed to BC Children's
Hospital in Vancouver, where retractable seizure disorder was diagnosed.

Over the next year, the child was placed on a series of prescription
drug mixtures, received steroid shots and was given a high-fat diet.
She even developed a kidney stone. Some of the drugs had brutal
side-effects and she was averaging 100 seizures a day, her
grandparents said.  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D