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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eye On Boise

Young girl’s story could prompt lawmakers to relent on cannabis extract

Proponents of cannabidiol oil, a non-psychotropic extract of marijuana, say it reduces the amount and length of seizures in children with a rare form of epilepsy called Dravet Syndrome. The parents of a 10-year-old Boise girl who suffers from the syndrome have been pushing for two years for use of the oil to be allowed in Idaho, the AP reports, but Idaho lawmakers in 2013 passed a resolution vowing never to legalize marijuana for any purpose. Alexis Carey began having seizures when she was two months old; now 10, she requires constant supervision, night and day. "Like any parent, you never give up hope that you can get complete seizure control," said her mother, Clare Carey. "Children die from Dravet by any one of the seizures. Alexis could have a seizure that may not stop, we never really know." 

Now, the family has some hope: Legislation to allow the use of the extract for treatment of the disease has been introduced in the Senate State Affairs Committee, and its co-sponsors are Senate State Affairs Chairman Curt McKenzie, R-Nampa, and House State Affairs Chairman Tom Loertscher, R-Iona. Twelve states have legalized the oil while still banning medical marijuana. The bill is awaiting a committee hearing; AP reporter Kimberlee  Kruesi has a full report here.



Betsy Z. Russell
Betsy Z. Russell joined The Spokesman-Review in 1991. She currently is a reporter in the Boise Bureau covering Idaho state government and politics, and other news from Idaho's state capital.

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