Medical Marijuana News: Girl Allowed by Court to Bring Medical Marijuana Returns to School
An 11-year-old girl has returned to school in Schaumburg, Illinois after a federal judge has allowed her to bring with her a medical marijuana patch and cannabis oil that help her manage her seizures.
It was in December 2008 when the then-toddler Ashley Surin was diagnosed with childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. While the several rounds of chemotherapy and spinal injections are given to her by the doctors sent her into remission, one of the spinal injections caused her to have seizures.
Since the age of two, Surin was plagued with seizures. After experiencing a full-body seizure at a department store last year, the doctors wanted to try a fourth drug on her. However, as the parents of Surin refused, the doctors suggested a diet change and cannabis as an alternative.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
While the cannabis patch, lotion, and oil did the trick in managing Surin's seizures, the law in Illinois prohibits even the prescription version at school. Because of this, the school had prevented the 11-year old girl from attending classes, as the school had to adhere to the what the law dictates.This led the Surins to sue Schaumburg School District 54.
While the school district's lawyer and that of the Surins were determined to help the young girl, it was unclear what the verdict would be. Nonetheless, last week, the Illinois attorney general opted not to prosecute and said that there shall be no negative legal ramifications against those staff who assist Surin with the medicine. Furthermore, the federal judge released an emergency order allowing Surin to return to school.
The emergency ruling was only exclusive to Surin's case, though, and does not exempt other children in Illinois who are in the same circumstances at her. After all, only the states of Colorado, Maine, New Jersey and Washington state allow students to use medical marijuana at school.
"I hope that we can help the state change the law to not only let our daughter get the medicine she needs, but that other students will be helped as well," Jim, Surin's father, said.
