A mother in the United Kingdom is fighting with government officials after they confiscated lifesaving medication from her 12-year-old son.
The Fight For Cannabis Oil
Charlotte Caldwell recently returned to the United Kingdom from a trip to Toronto, Canada. Caldwell was in the country purchasing medication for her 12-year-old son, Billy. This medication turned out to be medical cannabis oil. Billy has autism and suffers from epilepsy, Caldwell states that he needs the medicine to prevent him from suffering severe seizures.
However, when Caldwell arrived back in the United Kingdom, her troubles began. When customs officials searched Caldwell, they discovered the six-month supply of the medication. Custom officers accused Caldwell of trying to "openly smuggle" the cannabis oil into the country and then they snatched it from her.
The main issue surrounding the cannabis oil is the drug's ingredients. Cannabidiol is licensed as a medicine in the United Kingdom. However, the significant concern surrounds THC, which stands for Tetrahydrocannabinol. In addition to being associated for getting its users hooked, the United Kingdom officials did not see it as a valuable medical drug and named it an illegal substance.
Caldwell visited Home Office to discuss the issue with department leader Nick Hurd MP. She asked the government official about the possibility of giving Billy back his medicine. Hurd refused to give the medication back to Caldwell. Caldwell demanded that Hurd come up with a solution that would satisfy both parties.
Billy's Story
In 2017, Billy made headlines for becoming the first child to receive prescribed medical cannabis oil from the United Kingdom's National Health Services. Billy received the medicine three times a day. He allegedly did not have any seizures for 250 days. Before Billy took the prescribed medical cannabis oil, Caldwell noted that her son could have as many as 100 seizures.
Sadly, Billy was unable to receive any more of the medication. In May, Home Office threatened Billy's doctor if he did not renew the subscription. Caldwell stated that the cannabis oil keeps her son alive. She also feared what would happen if he suffered from withdrawals.
"I'll just go back to Canada, and I'll get more and I'll bring it back again. My son has a right to have his anti-epileptic medication in his country, in his home," said Caldwell to The Guardian.
Cannabidiol Corner
The Centers for Disease Control published a report that stated 52 people in Utah were poisoned between October 2017 and January 2018. Scientists and health officials believe that they were poisoned after consuming a drug they thought was cannabidiol. It turned out to be a toxic counterfeit drug called 4-cyano CUMYL-BUTINACA.
Washington State University released a new study that claimed that marijuana could help people struggling with mental health. They gave research volunteers two strands of the drug, THC, and cannabidiol and assigned them to smoke it outside the laboratories. Researchers found that if participants inhaled 10 or more puffs of marijuana that had a combination of both drugs, it reduced their stress levels.
