Cannabis Oil Update -- A Boulder on the Path

As the world shifts its attention from Ebola and reels from the news that another Hollywood celebrity has chosen to butcher her original face for a new one, those of us in the medical marijuana community got a sad email and update from Realm of Caring who had been in the process of removing people off of its many thousands waitlist with the intention of shipping them Charlotte's Web  Hemp Oil. Here's the gist of the email:

Unfortunately, despite the fact that the U.S. imports more hemp foods than any other country, the common association of CBD with high THC cannabis has caused more scrutiny for these hemp products than expected. For example a Minnesota mother may be facing charges for possessing a CBD product which she obtained for her son. Such tragic events, combined with the ever changing legal landscape of hemp/CBD products, have forced us to reconsider all potential ramifications of our previous distribution plans. Simply put: the last thing we want to do is put the families we serve in jeopardy.

As a result, at the strong advice of our legal counsel, we have decided it is in the best interest of both present and future clients, as well as the longevity of the ROC program as a whole, that we hold our distribution plan to higher standards than the conventional hemp industry.

We sincerely apologize to those of you who will be most affected by these changes. We ask for your patience, understanding, and help as we work to educate and comply with federal agencies and to change the laws which block people from safe access to products like Charlotte’s Web. Please know that we are doing everything we can under the circumstances to help as many people as possible.

In a nutshell, even by classifying the high CBD product as hemp, the Stanley Brothers and Realm of Caring are concerned about the risks people who acquire the oil for their children might have in those states that don't have laws like California's and Colorado's. To protect them from possible prosecution, they state that they will be seeking clarification from the appropriate agencies in all 50 states in order to determine the legal accessibility and risks of possession of CBD products. I know many people who were so excited, so uplifted by the prospect of finally getting Charlotte's Web. They have children with epilepsy -- children who have all had uncontrolled epilepsy despite numerous medications and treatments over many years. These are children like Sophie who went nineteen years without significant respite from seizures and the side effects of 22 medications until she tried Charlotte's Web.

This is a complex issue, and I've felt uncomfortable at some of the infighting that sometimes occludes what this whole thing is really about -- our children's quality of life and ability to live to their full potential. I couldn't begin to explain it all here on this blog. The people at Realm of Caring and elsewhere are working incredibly hard to advocate on so many levels, and I am holding my breath that change will come sooner rather than later.

In the meantime, I hope you'll educate yourself about this issue. Here's a great PDF file (I think you can access it, but if not, go to the Realm of Caring website for more information) to read more information about this latest development. Put pressure on your legislators, put pressure on the federal government to help make these changes. It's absolutely critical.



And here's a great story that appears in Time Magazine.