In another example of the growing number of cases which point to the medical benefits of marijuana, a chronically ill six-year-old girl has just walked for the first time thanks to the drug.
Bella Chinonis, from Michigan, U.S., suffers from a rare condition called ‘1p36 Deletion Syndrome’. It’s a disease which can lead to very serious health issues including inhibited speech abilities, developmental delays and chronic seizures.
As well as this syndrome, Bella also has other health problems including several holes in her heart, kidney failure and the inability to walk. That is, until a few months ago.
Bella is now one of around 150 children in the state of Michigan who have been approved to use medical marijuana.
Bella’s mother, Ida Chinonis, told the Flint Journal that it wasn’t until her daughter started using the cannabis oil that her health began to visibly improve.
She said:
She can stand now. She responds to voices and she loves the movie ‘Frozen’. She didn’t do that before and the only thing different we are doing is giving her medical marijuana.
However, the process was not easy as Bella’s neurologist refused to prescribe medical marijuana to minors. To meet requirements of state law, the family had to get two doctors’ recommendations (adults need just one recommendation). Fortunately, in the end, a doctor from Detroit and another from Texas examined Bella and gave the go ahead for her life changing treatment.
Bella now takes cannabis oil at least three times day. It has to be specially made for her with the right combinations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).
As well as enabling her to walk, the drug oil has also reduced the number of Bella’s seizures. Although she will never fully develop and will always need constant care, it is clear that the use of medical marijuana has greatly improved this little girl’s quality of life.
It’s really difficult to believe that there are still some medical practitioners who feel use of marijuana oil in medicine is taboo when they’re presented with incredible cases like this!
