Robert Celt
New Member
With two medical marijuana bills currently before the Utah State Legislature, one Orem family hopes it will have the chance to continue helping one of its youngest members, but without committing a felony.
Aaron and Emily Campbell had five children together, three of whom were diagnosed with a rare disease, metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), a neurological disease that is eventually fatal.
A short time before the Campbells' oldest daughter, Tori, passed away from the disease in 2013, they were convinced by friends to try cannabis oil for their second daughter, Maddie, whose condition had not progressed as far.
"She (Maddie) didn't like it," Aaron Campbell said. "But she woke up the next morning and she was calm. Then the same thing happened the next night."
Within one week, Maddie had made huge strides in mobility and was having significantly fewer seizures. She was able to get out of her wheelchair, taking up to 50 steps unaccompanied.
Even just one week without the cannabis, and Maddie started regressing back to walking on tiptoes because of her tightened muscles, and her number of seizures went up again.
The Campbells continued to get cannabis oil in other states where medicinal marijuana is legal, and were met with amazement by Maddie's doctors, several of whom told the Campbells they had never seen an MLD patient make that much progress.
Despite being thrilled the medical marijuana debate is happening at all in Utah, Aaron Campbell has a few reservations about the bill co-sponsored by Sen. Evan Vickers, R-Cedar City, and Rep. Brad Daw, R-Orem.
The bill allows little flexibility for levels of THC in medications, calling for a 10-1 ratio of CBD to THC. Under Vickers' bill, to take 1 milligram of THC, a patient would have to take 10 milligrams of CBD.
According to Campbell, that means patients can actually end up taking more THC in a month than if the medication was limited by the number of milligrams being taken in a certain amount of time.
"Medicine is not about percentages," Campbell said. "Medicine is always about the amount taken in over time."
Despite those concerns, Campbell thinks the second bill, sponsored by Sen. Mark Madsen, R-Saratoga Springs, may have gone too far in allowing whole-leaf usage of marijuana. Campbell said he is hoping both sides will be willing to compromise and reach a bill that is somewhere in the middle of the two.
"My desire is to get a bill that allows for THC, but not in a form that can be smoked, and to couple that with a decriminalization bill," Campbell said.
Despite his desire for a compromise, Campbell said overall he is supporting Madsen's bill.
"If Madsen's bill passes, it will help thousands and thousands of people," Campbell said, adding that if the competing bill passes, the real winners will be Colorado dispensaries.
"The best thing that can happen for (Colorado dispensaries) is for people to learn how good cannabis is as a medicine, but still not be able to get it here," Campbell said.
But whichever bill passes, or if neither bill does, Campbell said little will change for his family. They plan to keep using the substance that has helped their daughter so much.
Campbell said he feels somewhat protected by the media attention his family has gotten, but knows many other families using cannabis while it's illegal in Utah are not afforded the same buffer.
So at this point, the family is still working to advocate for medical marijuana, but mostly for the benefit of others.
Though the Campbells continue to advocate for legalized medical marijuana, Aaron Campbell is quick to say he does not belong to any of the "factions" developing around the issue.
"We know that there has to be some compromise," he said. "We make friends and enemies on both sides."
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: One Utah Family's Continued Fight To Legalize Medical Marijuana
Author: Katie England
Contact: Herald Extra
Photo Credit: Spenser Heaps
Website: Herald Extra
Aaron and Emily Campbell had five children together, three of whom were diagnosed with a rare disease, metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), a neurological disease that is eventually fatal.
A short time before the Campbells' oldest daughter, Tori, passed away from the disease in 2013, they were convinced by friends to try cannabis oil for their second daughter, Maddie, whose condition had not progressed as far.
"She (Maddie) didn't like it," Aaron Campbell said. "But she woke up the next morning and she was calm. Then the same thing happened the next night."
Within one week, Maddie had made huge strides in mobility and was having significantly fewer seizures. She was able to get out of her wheelchair, taking up to 50 steps unaccompanied.
Even just one week without the cannabis, and Maddie started regressing back to walking on tiptoes because of her tightened muscles, and her number of seizures went up again.
The Campbells continued to get cannabis oil in other states where medicinal marijuana is legal, and were met with amazement by Maddie's doctors, several of whom told the Campbells they had never seen an MLD patient make that much progress.
Despite being thrilled the medical marijuana debate is happening at all in Utah, Aaron Campbell has a few reservations about the bill co-sponsored by Sen. Evan Vickers, R-Cedar City, and Rep. Brad Daw, R-Orem.
The bill allows little flexibility for levels of THC in medications, calling for a 10-1 ratio of CBD to THC. Under Vickers' bill, to take 1 milligram of THC, a patient would have to take 10 milligrams of CBD.
According to Campbell, that means patients can actually end up taking more THC in a month than if the medication was limited by the number of milligrams being taken in a certain amount of time.
"Medicine is not about percentages," Campbell said. "Medicine is always about the amount taken in over time."
Despite those concerns, Campbell thinks the second bill, sponsored by Sen. Mark Madsen, R-Saratoga Springs, may have gone too far in allowing whole-leaf usage of marijuana. Campbell said he is hoping both sides will be willing to compromise and reach a bill that is somewhere in the middle of the two.
"My desire is to get a bill that allows for THC, but not in a form that can be smoked, and to couple that with a decriminalization bill," Campbell said.
Despite his desire for a compromise, Campbell said overall he is supporting Madsen's bill.
"If Madsen's bill passes, it will help thousands and thousands of people," Campbell said, adding that if the competing bill passes, the real winners will be Colorado dispensaries.
"The best thing that can happen for (Colorado dispensaries) is for people to learn how good cannabis is as a medicine, but still not be able to get it here," Campbell said.
But whichever bill passes, or if neither bill does, Campbell said little will change for his family. They plan to keep using the substance that has helped their daughter so much.
Campbell said he feels somewhat protected by the media attention his family has gotten, but knows many other families using cannabis while it's illegal in Utah are not afforded the same buffer.
So at this point, the family is still working to advocate for medical marijuana, but mostly for the benefit of others.
Though the Campbells continue to advocate for legalized medical marijuana, Aaron Campbell is quick to say he does not belong to any of the "factions" developing around the issue.
"We know that there has to be some compromise," he said. "We make friends and enemies on both sides."
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: One Utah Family's Continued Fight To Legalize Medical Marijuana
Author: Katie England
Contact: Herald Extra
Photo Credit: Spenser Heaps
Website: Herald Extra
