It's taking lawmakers in Maryland a long time to approve its comprehensive medical marijuana program. Thus, parents who have kids relying on the substance for treatment are turning to other alternatives because of the delay.
Jenny and Alex Inman, whose 5-year-old son Lukas has Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, decided to move to Colorado where medical marijuana use covers a large scope legally. Lukas regularly requires cannabis to control his epileptic seizures.
The Inmans helped shape Maryland's medical marijuana program, which was introduced in 2013, according to the Baltimore Sun. The family couldn't risk waiting longer, however, as the amendments and improvements to the bill remain stalled in legislation.
The Inmans tried every pharmaceutical option for Lukas. Medical drugs, however, dulled his personality and affected his performance in school.
The family also didn't what their son subjected to brain surgery. Thus, cannabis oil became the safest and most practical option.
After moving to Colorado, the Inmans saw a 60 percent improvement in their son's condition thanks to cannabis oil. They acknowledged that if they stayed in Maryland, their son would have regressed.
"We made the right choice," dad Alex said. "[Lukas] eyes are brighter, and he can laugh with us at the dinner table," he added.
Other Maryland parents, however, have not uprooted their lives for their sick children. Instead, they bought cannabis oil online, believing it's legal in the state.
Some parents have been slapped with disputes with the local Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Child Protective Service (CPS) because of this. Cases and investigations against the parents have been opened and closed as a result but the agencies won't comment on the details of the disputes.
For years, political controversies affected Maryland's medical marijuana program. Bill proposals regarding its expansion and coverages divided lawmakers that a fully functional law might not see passage this year, according to The Cannabis.
