Michigan’s Medical Marihuana Act (MMMA) changed a lot of people’s lives for the better. People suffering from cancer, glaucoma, AIDS and even Lou Gehrig’s Disease can all now seek relief for their pain and discomfort. But while the act has brought a great deal of relief for many patients who are willing and able to smoke marijuana for relief, there are those patients for whom smoking isn’t an option. Children, who happen to be some of the most vulnerable patients that need it more than ever.

There are numerous documented cases of children whose severe and previously untreatable illnesses have become far more manageable with the use of cannabis oil. In some cases, they were completely cured. Epilepsy, is one of those illnesses, where there are a surprising number of children whose seizures went from hundreds, sometimes thousands a months, to two or three.

But in Michigan, while the MMMA allows for considerable freedom when it comes to medical marijuana use, there is no provision for the use of cannabis oil. Which makes it very difficult for those parents whose children desperately need cannabis oil to treat conditions that no other medication is able to address.

As of now, there are less than 200 registered pediatric medical marijuana patients in Michigan. All of those parents live with the continual fear that they could face prosecution at any moment, or worse, have their children removed by Child Protective Services. Thankfully, however, these families are not alone.

With every passing year, awareness is increasing regarding the medical benefits of cannabis oil for children with epilepsy and numerous other rare and hard to treat diseases. In addition, there are several well-known and respected medical professionals who are stepping out to make public statements in favor of cannabis oil over pharmaceuticals.

One of these is Dr. Christian Bogner, a highly regarded medical professional at the forefront of of autism research in the U.S.  Bogner advocates for the use of medical marijuana and its derivative by-products for children. He has gone on the record stating that he believes that pharmaceutical companies are deceitful and dishonest.

As of now, there are numerous families that have been forced to move out of state in order to seek the medical care they need for their children. For this reason, Colorado has become a haven for families with very sick children whose lives are vastly bettered by the use of medical marijuana.

There are currently 17 states around the U.S. that have passed legislation allowing the use of marijuana-derived cannabidiol (cannabis oil) for children with certain medical conditions. Michigan is not one of them.  As of now, children approved for medical marijuana use in Michigan are allowed to smoke the product, but not to use the derivative oils. Those who choose to use cannabis oil instead, which many parents say is preferable to having a child smoke marijuana, do so at great risk.