Oregon’s 7-year-old medical marijuana patient stirs controversy

[Unknown Beatle]

Source: Raw Story

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/11/25/oregons-7-year-old-medical-marijuana-patient-stirs-controversy/

Mykayla Comstock, a seven-year-old girl who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia, has a medical marijuana license in Oregon and consumes strong capsules of the drug twice daily, reported The Oregonian.

She is one of 2,201 cancer patients and one of 52 children allowed to use medical marijuana in the state. Her age, however, has stirred controversy and left some wondering whether — and where — to draw the line on a drug that can ease the side effects of illnesses and cancer treatment.

One recent international study found that marijuana use among youth whose brains are still developing can damage memory and intellect. Some doctors say that children can be treated with better, less controversial medications .

While Mykayla’s mother administers the capsules and occasional cannabis-laced confections, her father, who lives in North Dakota, opposes the treatment, claiming that during one visit she was “stoned out of her mind.”

Mykayla says the drug helps her “eat and sleep” and makes her feel “funny, happy.”

She is currently in remission, and her mother still administers medical marijuana to her.

[condoleeza]

1. I didn't read anything "controversial" in the article in the Oregonian today

but I guess using the word "controversy" might draw more readers?? I thought it was a well written article and made the point that she feels better with the capsules. Oregon will legalize MJ in the next election. It's only a matter of time before it's legal all over at least the blue states. It's a win win and "high" time.

[sigmasix]

2. no mention of chemo damage though

It seems to me that the writer probably should have asked about the negative effects of chemotherapy on young brains and bodies. Perhaps the writer of the article is more interested in the "controversy" than the child's well-being.

[Scuba]

3. +1,000

[Are_grits_groceries]

4. They can have her high and happy

or miserble and hurting. I'm not sure about giving it to her when she's in remission unless there are still side effects. That I wonder about. She my have to be weaned off of it. I don't know.

I also want to hear about the better, less controversial methods they speak of. I would like to know about those. My guess is that they are less controversial not necessarily better.

As far as brain damage in the young, that is from one study cited. There may be other studies to contradict that. I can't imagine that constant misery and pain helps development.

Give her munchies and leave her the hell alone.

[justiceischeap]

7. RE: Remission

it could be to help her gain weight.

[cpamomfromtexas]

9. My Dr tells me it has many anti cancer properties

But we don't have medical mj in Texas.

We are the knuckle dragger state.

[Aerows]

56. I knew a woman whose son went into remission

from some type of cancer (I don't remember which type it was), but he was nothing but skin and bones from the ravages chemo took on his body.

It's probably doing exactly what it is supposed to do - helping her "eat and sleep" so that she can put some weight back on. Any time you are severely underweight, you are in danger that one infection can put you past the point of no return. As a child that is probably also on other drugs that affect her immune system, I would imagine that concern is doubly so.

[Are_grits_groceries]

99. Makes sense.

Keep giving it to her then.

[davidpdx]

5. My only issue with this is whether the 7 year old understands what she is being given

Clearly it helped her, but was it explained to her and can she understand what she is taking.

(BTW I voted for Oregon's medical marijuana law)

[Are_grits_groceries]

6. Okay. Explain it.

I would seriously like to hear what a seven year old should be told that she will understand or care about.

[davidpdx]

8. Well I'm not a doctor, nor have I ever claimed to be one

She should care because it is her body. Like any drug there are side effects and those differ depending upon the person's body. I'm glad her cancer is in remission, but what happens if the cancer comes back? Do they continue the marijuana dosage or go to convectional medicine? If I had a child who was going through that, I would want them to know what is going on. I sure as hell think they deserve to know. Anything who thinks otherwise is living in the stone ages.

[Romulox]

10. How would your analysis change if this child were given a (perfectly legal!) opiate?

How many news stories have you explored on the subject of opiates prescribed to children? I would think you'd have some fairly in-depth thoughts about those far more common cases?

[davidpdx]

18. I think opiates would be problematic as well

Those are legal, but very strong. Don't think I've ever been a an opiate drug (that I know of).

[Romulox]

27. Um, it happens every day. YOU BETTER WRITE TO YOUR CONGRESSPERSON!

Your nonsense talking point ("won't someone PLEASE think of the children!&quot has been skewered, I'm afraid. May I suggest "But they may be DRIVING!" as your next non-factual talking point?

[Aerows]

58. You've gone your entire life

without taking codeine cough syrup for bad bronchitis, or Vicoden for getting a tooth pulled or some similar injury that is painful? Those are opiates. I would be genuinely surprised that you have managed to go your entire life without having either of those things administered to you.

[davidpdx]

92. I probably have had it in one form or another

I personally hate strong pain medication especially the stuff they put into your cheek in the dentist office. It tastes like crap.

[Aerows]

94. Tell me about it

I had 3 impacted wisdom teeth. All the pain medication did was put me in a bad mood, though granted, it was impossible to separate a bad mood from the pain after the fact of them having them dig the suckers out from where they were nearly penetrating my sinus cavity on both sides.

[davidpdx]

98. I've gone through the same thing

I don't think all of them were impacted, but I chose to have all of them pulled at the same time. Then I had to have that damn cotton in my mouth which bugged the hell out of me, so I took it out. Then of course you can guess what happened. Wasn't very smart on my part. lol

[Aerows]

101. Oh, I know exactly what happened

since I did the same thing. Dry sockets. Just a horrible, horrible experience. The only thing I could eat were iced fudge bar popsicles, which I loved, and I will never eat another one again after the experience of the blood mixing with the melted chocolate in my mouth.

:shudder:

[EOTE]

13. How is this different from any other drug out there?

I'm sure she's told that she's consuming marijuana. Do you want them to bring out a scientist to explain precisely what marijuana and cannabinoids are? Do you really think that what they do with pot is any different than any other drugs they prescribe?

[davidpdx]

19. Not a scientist, a doctor should though which is what I said if you look at what I originally posted

I realize everyone is heavily pro-marijuana on DU (I voted for Oregon's medicinal marijuana law, but against legalization), but I do think informed consent can be extended to a 7 year old. I'm not saying don't give it to her (like many are assuming I am), but asking whether it has been explained to her.

[EOTE]

31. Once again, you're acting as if MJ is different than any other drug.

It's a pretty silly argument you're presenting. What makes you think that the doctors are treating this MMJ different than ANY OTHER substance they might give the kid? Do you think doctors explain cardiac stents to children before operations? It really helps to think about these things before commenting. Extremely silly.

[Chan790]

50. I think he's arguing that kids should be informed...for all drugs and procedures. n/t

[EOTE]

61. That's not really what he specified, he chose this particular case because it involved MMJ.

What would make him think that doctors would explain the use of marijuana as a medicine differently from any other drug? Do you think that doctors look at MMJ and just treat it like having a few beers? It's a really silly comment to make.

[Chan790]

86. I'm not disagreeing.

It was the only coherent interpretation I could make of the argument posed.

(Nice MD flag. We definitely have the best state flag.)

[Floyd_Gondolli]

47. Explain what exactly?

Do you think a 7-year-old knows what they're being given in any other circumstance during a cancer treatment? Is every drug and its side effects explained in detail to the child?

Look, you don't like MJ (as evidenced by the fact you'd rather people do drugs from Philip Morris, Phizer and Anheiser Busch than have a choice) but your assertion that it's necessary to explain MJ more than any other drug just because it's MJ is absurd. Trust me, this child has ingested things far more toxic and dangerous during the course of her cancer treatment.

[davidpdx]

91. Actually go back and read my other posts and then respond

I won't repeat what I have already said.

[Tsiyu]

16. My daughter was given morphine when she broke her arm

maybe she was 11 or 12?

Of course, later her older brothers teased her a bit about being a druggie, but just in fun.

She was in severe pain, it helped her, and though it was only a dose or two in the ER, it was a strong drug for a little girl. WE didn't go into all the ramifications.

She doesn't smoke anything as a grown woman, nor does she take any pills or drugs. She turned out fine.

This 7-year-old could be prescribed all sorts of painkillers that have far more serious side effects than cannabis. And yes, many of those legal pills - the ones all the insured folks have made more ubiquitous than air because insured people are eating them like frickin candy - have deleterious side effects we DON't EVEN KNOW about yet - especially in children.

Cannabis is the safest choice for pain or appetite, given what we still don't know about America's Happy Pills.

[davidpdx]

20. I'm not implying the girl will turn out to be a drug user

In fact I would say given her cancer it is highly unlikely she would.

[Tsiyu]

21. I think you did mention "discussing with the child"

what the kid was taking?

Maybe that was another poster, sorry if I'm wrong.

I was saying there that I didn't go over the ramifications of the morphine with my kid. I just let her get loopy so she wasn't in agony any more.

A seven-year-old with cancer doesn't really need to have a discourse on the PDR definitions of her meds. She just needs to be made comfortable. Any prescription painkillers will have worse long term side effects than cannabis, and no physician worth his or her medical license would say otherwise.

[davidpdx]

23. No that was me

That mentioned discussing it. I would assume since cancer is pretty serious the parents or doctor would have discussed or tried to give a basic explanation about that. If they did, I would also assume she be told what she was given. Maybe people with children don't feel their child should have that right to at least be told that. As I said before, with any drug regardless of what it is there are side effects and making the child aware of them could save their life if they did occur. '

To be clear, I never advocated not giving her the dosage and I actually support medical marijuana in Oregon.

[Tsiyu]

25. A seven year old can't make these decisions

and alarming the child seems silly.

Example: When each of my kids got their immunizations, I had to sign consent forms and read about the - sometimes horrific - negative side effects. At no point did I read these to any of my children ( I mean as they got older. )

The parent gives consent; a child hasn't the capacity to determine risk and shouldn't be made afraid of treatment. Honesty is good, but a seven-year-old is too young to understand anything more than that their medicine will help them and to let grownups know if they feel the medicine is hurting them.

There's really enough to be frightened about for this child.

[shanti]

84. what you said

a 7 year old takes what the parent gives them. i don't know of any 7 year old that asks their parent about the meds they are given. there was also a story about a man who was giving his 3 year old ill child a tincture of mm. same deal, imo.

[Romulox]

28. Walk it back. Walk. It. Back! nt

[sigmasix]

11. opiates aren't as effective

I have been fighting cancer for 10 years. The twice-a-day chemotherapy regime I have been using for the last 8 years takes my appetite, my energy, my humor and my health. When we tried using opiates to relieve the horrible side effects I found that my quality of life was spiraling down into an opiate dream world that robbed me of myself. I live in Michigan and we have a MM law. I find that one or two joints has a much more positive affect in releiving the worst parts of the sickness and pain, with the added bonus of being able to function without knodding-off all day. Opiates are physically addictive and damaging to the liver and other organs over long periods of use. I have been smoking 3 to 4 joints a day for over 5 years and have never had the serious emotional or intellectual side-effects that anti-MM crusaders claim exist. My short-term memory is shot, but we think it more likely to be caused by the chemotherapy, than the pot. My wife and daughters call it "chemo-brain" and we joke about it sometimes. I'm always suspicious of the anti-medical marijuana folks; they dont seem to be too offended by the notion that cancer sufferers must take poison into their bodies to live, but a little herb to give me an appetite and make me feel better is wrong, somehow.

[EOTE]

12. The father seems like an absent asshole.

He's against the treatment because he saw her "stoned out of her mind"? I'm guessing the "father" would have been happier if his daughter were in ungodly pain due to chemo? What a dick.

[Tsiyu]

22. Absolutely agree

I am glad the kid is not in the clutches of that apparent sadist.

She has enough pain without his help.

[yardwork]

14. This is another example of this country's Puritan attitude toward pain.

Our culture has long had the attitude that it is better to suffer pain, because for some reason pain is "Godly," than to take drugs to control the pain. The drugs might make us high! That's the devil's work. This attitude goes back to 17th century attitudes.

[catch the spit.]

15. Oh gee willikers...just thinking out loud:

How about stopping administering the POISON that is making her so nauseated?!

[Lars39]

17. Perhaps because they'd rather she have a shot at living than have her 6 feet under already.

[i am thee modren man]

85. The "cure" is what kills these people!

Research it a bit more deeply and you'll get it. I think...

[Lars39]

88. I'm 9 years out from a stage 3B breast cancer diagnosis.

Please proceed.

[RedCappedBandit]

95. So what's the alternative?

You seem to have secret knowledge of a harmless cure.

[Nye Bevan]

24. Many medicines are potentially addictive. All medicines have side-effects.

The fact that the appropriate medicine in this case happens to be marijuana should be a complete non-issue.

[sigmasix]

26. exactly

What many people don't understand is that, to a cancer fighter, marijuana is just another one of the medicines in the modern arsenal of cancer warriors. My oncologist is pre-eminent in his field and he heartily agrees with the use of medicinal marijuana- unfortunately he works in a state that has no MM laws, so he cannot prescribe it or talk to me about it as if it were a legitimate treatment. It's a dumb law written by ill-informed state politicians that encroaches on all sorts of rights and liberties.
What sort of people would deny cancer fighters access to their medication?
This child is lucky to have an understanding mom. I hope that this child can keep the cancer in remission and be able to look forward to a life without chemotherapy or medicinal marijuana.

[Romulox]

29. Marijuana isn't addictive. FACT based community, remember? nt

[loyalsister]

49. True

There are no physical withdrawal symptoms.
However, as with gambling, shopping, sex... people can and do develop psychological dependency and unhealthy behaviors associated with it do emerge.
Fact.

[Romulox]

51. That's what "addictive" means. Anything can be said to cause "psychological dependency"--internet

usage, for example. But by the same token, few seriously claim internet usage is "addictive".

And nobody incarcerates anyone on that basis.

[demhottie]

30. the equivalent of 10 joints a day to a seven year old IN REMISSION?

and the boyfriend's the dealer? If insurance is paying for it they are making money off the daughter and using pot to keep her tired and out of their hair. Isn't it unethical to be making money off of her condition? (I'm just thinking out loud.)

What could possibly be the reason for administering the equivalent of 10 joints a day to a seven year old IN REMISSION?

Even if it was a standard pharmaceutical, it would be odd to administer it when there are no symptoms- like giving your kid a swig of NyQuil every night instead of hiring a babysitter ...



Gratuitous smilie:

[riderinthestorm]

32. I saw that and also thought 10 joints/day for a 7 year old?? In remission?

But for more than a few DUers, MJ usage is a sacred cow that mustn't be questioned.

[Romulox]

33. The child isn't being given any joints at all. But don't let facts interrupt your Drug Warrioring!

[LisaL]

35. Do you know what "equivalent" means?

[Romulox]

36. Do you know how to use "quotation marks"?

The poster I responded to didn't use the word "equivalent".

[riderinthestorm]

40. Fine then, EQUIVALENT to 10 joints/day. Ingested or smoked still makes one high nt

[Romulox]

42. Are you logging in and out? You appear to be having a seamless conversation as TWO different people.

[gollygee]

59. I don't know how that's relevant

Someone might need more to help with the side effects of chemo and leukemia than someone else who is healthy might need to get high. Her doctor is probably a better judge of that, and apparently whatever doctor they're seeing is OK with it. Marijuana isn't like morphine, where you can OD if you have a lot of it.

I don't know if her age is relevant either. If she's old enough to get chemo that can make her so sick, and if she's old enough to get leukemia that can make her feel so horrible, she's old enough to get whatever it takes to make her feel better.

[demhottie]

62. it's VERY rare that someone gets chemo while in remission

and I don't think that's the case here.

The point is that she is in remission, NOT receiving chemotherapy and her mom has her stoned of her ass, while her mom's boyfriend is probably PAID to supply drugs to her.

[gollygee]

64. It doesn't sound like she's been in remission for long

I assume she's still recovering from that. If she had been off chemo for months, then I imagine her doctor would say something, but it sounds like her doctor is OK with it for now, and the doctor knows what's happening better than we do.

And the boyfriend is paid by whom? Not by the government. By private insurance? They can certainly complain about that.

[Lars39]

67. And she may not stay in remission very long.

Odds aren't all that great for aggressive leukemia in children.

[riderinthestorm]

71. Her chances of relapse are only 7% with the chemo she's had

With chemotherapy, doctors put Mykayla's odds of survival at 76.9 percent and her chance of relapse at 7 percent, Purchase said

http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2012/11/medical_marijuana_for_a_child.html#incart_river_default#incart_m-rpt-2

[Lars39]

81. But her chances of survival are much less if she is underweight and not getting enough rest.

[riderinthestorm]

68. She's been in remission for several months at least.

From the article she went into remission late spring so she's several months into remission.

I don't know any cancer patients who continue to get chemo in remission. You get chemo its because you've relapsed (or been recently diagnosed).



Her doctor isn't monitoring it. Her mother is.

"Oregon law doesn't require the monitoring of a child's medical marijuana use by a pediatrician. Under the state's 14-year-old medical marijuana law, parents are authorized to decide the dosage, frequency and manner of a child's marijuana consumption.

Although marijuana is listed as a Schedule II narcotic by the State of Oregon, the federal government classifies it as a Schedule I narcotic, which means a physician cannot prescribe it, according to the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program handbook. "

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/26/mykayla-comstock-oregon-girl-leukemia-medical-marijuana-video_n_2192676.html

[gollygee]

69. I read the original article and it said she wears a cap to cover the strawberry fuzz on her head

which lead me to believe that her hair hasn't been growing back very long.

And it also said that her doctors are aware, or that the mother has discussed with with her doctor, or something like that.

[riderinthestorm]

75. My niece's hair never grew back, she also had acute lymphoblastic leukemia as a child.

She had even more chemo then this girl (8 months) vs 1 month for Mykayla.

[frylock]

73. yeh, this is a big scam so the boyfriend can get RICH selling pot to this sick little girl..

are you for fucking real?!!

[NoOneMan]

76. The distinction is only important if you don't assign value to MMJ during remissions

Clearly we know chemotherapy has no value during remission that outweighs its side effects (which are toxic).

But does increased appetite, euphoria and the anti-carcinogenic effects of medical marijuana for a young, recovering cancer patient outweigh the risk of her becoming a Grateful Dead fan? Ill leave that up to her doctor

[frylock]

72. how many joints does four vicodins amount to?

[frylock]

70. willfull ignorance is also a DU sacred cow..

fortunately for you, it's legal.

[LisaL]

34. ITA.

Why is the child given marijuana now, considering she is in remission?
I guess I shouldn't be surprising that people here are jumping on the child's father who is questioning this.

[Romulox]

37. The Drug Warriors are also amateur oncologists, able to second-guess any medical decisions with

uncanny precision!

[LisaL]

38. And pot supporters aren't amateur oncologists?

There is no evidence that pot cures cancer.

[Romulox]

41. Nope. Only the Drug Warriors here are presuming to second guess this child's doctors

(the same team that helped her get to remission in the first place, by the way. )

There is no evidence that pot cures cancer.

Straw man much? No drug "cures" cancer. That's not an argument for denying anyone treatment, especially children.

[riderinthestorm]

44. Last time we talked about this Romulox, you were emphatically questioning transplant docs

who forbid medical MJ to transplant patients.



FWIW, I have no idea what this girl's doctor is thinking prescribing the EQUIVALENT of 10 joints/day for this girl in remission. I am merely pointing out that I too was surprised to see her prescribed this dosage.

My husband's in remission for Stage IV, Grade IV lymphoma and I don't know of ANY of our fellow cancer travellers in our support groups who have ever taken that much mj to alleviate their symptoms - and these are all adults.

[Romulox]

46. Right. Because there is no scientific basis for it. SCIENCE, not your morality, should be the guide.

Your moralizing isn't any more compelling than that of a fundamentalist Christian. Perhaps even less say, because they at least have some sort of book to back up what they say. On the other hand, the Drug Warriors have access to the same studies as everyone else. But they don't support your claims, so you just seem to make this stuff up as you go along.

Either back your claims with science, or quit trying to control other people's lives.

[riderinthestorm]

52. Oh FFS, I'm not moralizing about it. The drug war is a huge sham that needs shutting down yesterday

I'm into MJ issues neck deep at my household so don't spew that shit at me again.

My husband and I know HUNDREDS of medical MJ users through his own lymphoma, and I say more power to patients who they need it.

My sister's a recent transplant recipient so I KNOW what the medical restrictions are for that (no MJ usage at all, not even medical MJ).

My 16 yr old is a troubled substance abuser whose now been through rehab twice so I've also spoken with enough addicts to hear that side of it as well.

[Romulox]

54. And yet here you are, questioning this child's doctors... Again. nt

[riderinthestorm]

65. Her doctors aren't prescribing this. Her mother is the sole control.

"Oregon law doesn't require the monitoring of a child's medical marijuana use by a pediatrician. Under the state's 14-year-old medical marijuana law, parents are authorized to decide the dosage, frequency and manner of a child's marijuana consumption. "

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/26/mykayla-comstock-oregon-girl-leukemia-medical-marijuana-video_n_2192676.html


In fact, her oncology doctors thought the medical MJ use was "inappropriate".

"Purchase and Krenzler said Dr. Janice Olson, the medical director of the children's cancer and blood disorders program at Legacy Emanuel's Randall Children's Hospital, called the girl's marijuana use "inappropriate."
http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2012/11/medical_marijuana_for_a_child.html#incart_river_default#incart_m-rpt-2

So they changed doctors....


"The state imposes no standards for quality, safety or potency in the production of marijuana."

http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2012/11/medical_marijuana_for_a_child.html#incart_river_default#incart_m-rpt-2



And FWIW, you were the one who was questioning the transplant doctors.

[Bluenorthwest]

80. You are incorrect about the law. Every Medical Marijuan patient in Oregon must

provide the State with a double verified physician's authorization statement. This is done on a yearly basis. So while parents are, as they are with all medications, in charge of administering them to their own kids, they simply are not the 'sole' voice in making the decision to use the medication. Even adult patients must have the authorization of their physician to take part in the program.
Not that facts would matter to you.

[riderinthestorm]

89. So which is correct? That the parent's decide the dosage and frequency, or the doctor?

As far as I can tell, its the parents who make the decisions on what they're giving the child after they have doctor give them a MMJ card.

The story indicates that the mother in this case is making all the decisions about dosage and frequency, not a doctor. If my kid is prescribed an opiate, the RX is extremely specific about dosage and frequency, at the doctor's direction. While I could presumably self-medicate my kid outside those guidelines, this case doesn't indicate that the mom is following ANY guidelines but her own. The child's initial oncology doctor found the MMJ usage "inappropriate" so the mom switched doctors!

Facts do matter. For me they matter a lot. There's already been a ton of misinformation on this thread alone about this case - that the girl is still getting chemo for one, when she's @ 6 months past completion.

I don't think we're getting all the story on this case but what else is new.

FWIW, I will reiterate - I am 110% against the drug war. Its a massive injustice and weed convictions are an even stupider injustice.

However, if we don't aim for responsible usage and self-monitor those who may be abusing the system, decriminalization OR making it legal will NEVER happen imho.

[Aerows]

63. The boyfriend is a licensed medical marijuana grower

If you read the article, she does not take the equivalent of 10 joints a day every day. That was when the kid was going through a very crappy time.

The lady herself responded in the comments section of the original Oregonian article and stated that her doctor DID know all of this, and that the article was incorrect (and about more than just that). The Oregonian didn't bother to correct the article.

Now does that sound like we are getting the whole story here, because it doesn't to me.

On edit: I'd also like to point out that I do NOT smoke pot. The only horse I have in this race is that I think it is ridiculous to deny people who are suffering treatment that can improve their health and/or quality of life. I would feel the same way about this issue if antibiotics were suddenly outlawed.

[riderinthestorm]

77. I don't think we're getting the whole story here either Aerows.

There appears to be some discrepancies - the initial oncology team for Mykayla believes the MJ use is "inappropriate" so they switched doctors. But they are still at the same facility? She's in remission for several months now (and has been off chemo for several months now as well) but they're still claiming she needs it for chemo?

Weird.

I agree that if she needs meds to help her, then by all means she should have access to ALL drugs that will help her, including medical MJ.

For now, since there appears to be some problems with the story, I think I'll leave this alone.

[Aerows]

93. This entire story is so riddled with contradictions

and inaccuracies, that it is pretty much impossible to separate fact from fiction. This is actually a fairly important issue that was reduced to nothing more than an emotional game of tennis because the "news" outlet that reported on it didn't do their homework.

At this point, I don't think any of us can really comment objectively about it because the stupid article wasn't objective or factual.

[Poll_Blind]

39. What's controversial? If she's old enough to die of leukemia, she's old enough to have medicine...

....to help her deal with it.

"But, but...They're giving dope to kids!"

And sometimes doctors shoot up little kids with smack, too. You know, morphine. Is one worse than the other?

Really?

They're both drugs and, in this case, used to treat medical conditions/situations.

PB

[Aerows]

43. For heaven's sake

Can people let doctors and their patients make their medical decisions and butt out? If it helps the little girl to "eat and sleep", two things that one needs to overcome a serious medical condition, then it's medical treatment.

Anyone trying to go on a crusade about this because it just happens to be marijuana is advocating withholding medical treatment from a sick child. It is no different than advocating withholding chemotherapy, antibiotics or any other doctor prescribed treatment that improves the health and quality of life of the patient.

[Poll_Blind]

48. Word the fuck up, Aweows. This girl's dad is an asshat. nt

PB

[Barack_America]

57. It would make my son eat and sleep. Should I give it to him?

He doesn't have leukemia, but neither does this little girl, at least not right now and hopefully never again.

This story sounds more to me like the scores of children with suspect ADD diagnoses who are left on ritalin because the behavioral effects are desirable to the parents.

[Aerows]

60. We are talking about a child that has just undergone

a serious illness. Chemotherapy ravages the body, and weakens the immune system along with preventing the person from gaining weight. This isn't a healthy little girl just because she is in remission. She likely desperately needs to put on weight so that one minor infection doesn't completely knock her down to the point of no return.

Comparing a child recovering from Leukemia to a "suspect ADD diagnosis" is about as useful as comparing the ramifications of an amputated leg to those of an ingrown toenail. It's not just in the same ballpark, it's not in the same city.

[frylock]

74. stupid and insensitive..

well played.

[Bluenorthwest]

83. Wow.

That's disgusting. Using not only this child's illness but your own child's health as wise crack fodder....

[RedCappedBandit]

96. What story did you read to come to that conclusion?

[gollygee]

45. She's taking in much worse stuff than marijuana

if she's in chemo she's taking in stuff soo soo so so much worse than that. And yeah she needs it, but I think let her mom and her doctors decide about the marijuana, not a bunch of armchair doctors who don't know ths family. If it's helping her get through such a horrible situation, and whatever doctor she's seeing is not freaking out about it, I don't know why anyone else should freak out about it.

[WinkyDink]

53. Because man-made drugs with side-effects are better?

[fredamae]

55. Sure, Let The Child Suffer

a Deadly Disease and the Deadly Side Effects/Consequences of Pharma because of chronological age..
Typical GOP Position---God Forbid A Child Safe Access To A Safe and Efficacious Phytomedicine

[KansDem]

66. Photo of patient with mom and mom's boyfriend.

Mykayla Comstock, 7, stands with her mom, Erin Purchase, and her mom’s boyfriend, Brandon Krenzler. Purchase and Krenzler administer cannabis to Mykayla daily to treat her leukemia and chemotherapy symptoms. Beth Nakamura/The Oregonian

http://photos.oregonlive.com/oregonian/2012/11/mykayla_comstock_1.html

[Dems50State]

78. I know lets take the medical marijuana away from the child and give her

the pill created by the drug industry instead that does the same as marijuana and let her take that a long with a pill to help her from throwing up. Oh lets throw in another people in case she needs something else to. Forget the Marijuana lets get this girl pills from the drug industry!

[sigmasix]

100. Marinol=joke

Marinol (synthetic THC "equivalent&quot works for very few people and it is 10x more expensive than MM. I've been told that the canabanoids included with the THC in Medical Marijuana are also involved in the creation of the desired effect (munchies, happiness, muscle relaxation, reduced anxiety, sleep), and I'm willing to believe it after doing some experiments on myself. Marinol just put me in a bad mood and increased my anxiety level.
Some Cancer fighters like myself do continue to take chemotherapy after the tumors go away. Newer chemotherapies are being developed every day that keep certain types of cancer "at bay" if you will. I suffer from a rare form of intestinal tissue cancer that was 100% fatal until 2000. Luekemia researchers introduced a chemotherapy for certain types of leukemia that also worked well at shrinking GIST tumors. The problem with this form of treatment is that eventually the cancerous cells mutate and become immune, which is what happened to me last year. Now I take another chemotherapy called Nexavar ($14,000.00 a month) and it is showing signs of working! The damage caused by cancer and the chemo doesnt just go away when the disease is in remission- Sometimes sufferers dont get thier appetites back after stopping chemo. I was 360 pounds when I was diagnosed in 2003, I weigh 145 pounds now and I'm lucky to hold a PB&J with a poached egg down. Sometimes the fight goes on for years and years and years. The notion that Medical Marijuana should be of concern is laughable; I take 2 30MG extended release morphine tablets a day as well as 4 administrations of .6 ML of tincture of Opium (with food). I also have a prescription for dilautid and xanax. My driving privledges are intact as well- because I'm not "high", I'm appropriately medicated.

[nachosgrande]

79. Nothing against medicinal marijuana, but this makes me uncomfortable...

Full disclosure - I had childhood cancer and received chemotherapy/radiation that made me feel so nauseous and wasted that I believed I was on death's door. I was given Marinol, which is synthetic THC, as an anti-emitic and it definitely helped stave off the nausea and increased my appetite. I remember being sick as a dog in the hospital, gobbling some Marinol pills and then within a couple of hours playing a little league baseball game (albeit, slightly stoned...lol). Point being - I have nothing against the use of THC for medical purposes.

Having said that, the parents "faith" in marijuana seems to spill over into the realm of zealousness. And the article implies that the parents are basically keeping her stoned 24/7 by administering two doses a day. I can definitely see an argument for that during the induction phase of treatment, since the chemo is more intense, but it seems like she's in the maintenance phase at this point, and I would assume (based on my own experience) that the side effects of treatment have been greatly reduced. And you have to wonder if a 7 year old being perpetually stoned might not somehow delay their cognitive development.

[shanti]

82. Mykayla says the drug helps her “eat and sleep” and makes her feel “funny, happy.”

And what the hell is wrong with that??

[Tsiyu]

87. Oh noes! A buzz!

She feels good!

What the hell?

And this coming from those who ingest handfuls of Oxy, Hydro, Chantix, Wellbutrin, Abbilify, Zoloft, Xanax, Vicodin.....because they're all fine and good with "legal" buzzes. As long as someone else defines "good" and "bad" for them, they have it ALL figured out

Or from those who love their wine/scotch/miller lite buzz.

Or from those who take NOTHING, NOTHING I TELL YOU because "I can handle pain and depression without a thing to help and SO SHOULD EVERYONE ELSE! Get off my lawn little seven-year-old leukemia patient!

Heaven FORBID someone who might also be depressed about losing hair, fearful about death, living a disrupted life due to hospitalization and chemo, might want to FEEL HAPPY.

What a goddamned sin that this kid wants happiness...because you know, my sister's nephews cousin's preacher's wife took meth and ruined her life....this kid should be forced to face her reality at seven, and cry every day.

We can't have happiness....it's DANGEROUS

[GiaGiovanni]

90. Why don't 7-year olds on Abilify or Resperidol or Ritalin cause the same amount of controversy?

Kids as young as 7 are now being treated for "bipolar" disorder with powerful psychotropics when these drugs have not been shown to work at all in children and when their long term effects are unknown.

[Politicub]

97. How about not drawing a line and letting sick people get some relief.