Pubdate: Sun, 12 Apr 2015
Source: Kingsport Times-News (TN)
Copyright: 2015 Kingsport Publishing Corporation
Contact: http://www.timesnews.net/lettertoeditor.php
Website: http://www.timesnews.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1437
Author: Nick Shepherd

IF CBD OIL BECOMES LAW MONDAY, IT COULD HAVE FAR REACHING EFFECTS

Legalizing cannabis oil for use as an alternative medicine is coming
up for a full vote in the Tennessee legislature on Monday after
sailing through every committee.

If the bill passes, it would have far reaching effects throughout the
state. It would affect law enforcement, health care workers and, maybe
most importantly, seizure patients. An amendment was added to the bill
during the House Health Committee which added access to people
suffering from epilepsy, opening up the number of patients who could
potentially have access to the oil.

The bill, introduced by Rep. Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, would redefine
marijuana by removing the requirement that cannabis oil containing
cannabidiol and less than nine-tenths of 1 percent of
tetrahydrocannabinol be transferred, dispensed, possessed or
administered as part of a clinical research study to be in legal possession.

CBD oil contains less than 1 percent of THC, the active ingredient in
marijuana which gets users high.

A potential new patient, who is already using marijuana illegally as a
medicine to treat his epilepsy, would like to come out of the shadows.

"I think it should be legal," said Jason, who only wished to be
identified by his first name because marijuana use is still illegal in
Tennessee. "I think it should be legal for medical purposes."

Jason suffered his first grand mal seizure when he was 18 while at a
video arcade with his friends. He felt like he was passing out, then
hit the floor. After being checked out, he went to see his primary
care doctor, who referred him to a neurologist.

The neurologist prescribed Jason three medications: Depakote, which is
used to treat seizures and also mood disorders, Clonazepam, which is
used to treat seizures along with panic disorder and anxiety, and
Flexaril, which is used to treat pain and stiffness caused by muscle
spasms.

"It made me like a walking zombie," Jason said.

Some of the medication he was on was eating through his bones, for
which he had to take another medicine to keep them strong. That was in
the spring of 1995.

He continued on the same medicine for six or seven years until his
doctors switched his medication because of the side effects he was
experiencing.

As he was weaning down off his medication, because he said you cannot
just stop taking it, he began to smoke marijuana. And he began to
notice that the marijuana was actually helping him manage his seizures.

Jason, who lives in Johnson City, made it clear he was using marijuana
as a medicine and not to get high. He said a few grams of marijuana
would last him more than a week. He said some marijuana does not help
him, but instead makes him jumpy.

And he does not like smoking it.

"I had smoked before, but I wasn't like a chronic smoker," he said. "I
would much rather be able to take like a vitamin with the CBDs or take
like a gummy or something like that and have that instead of smoking.
I can't stand the smoke, I'm not built for smoking."

He is hopeful the bill passes so he can get the CBD's he says helps
control his seizures without fear of arrest or prosecution.

For those who do arrest and prosecute marijuana violations, there are
some worries about unintended consequences if this bill gets passed.

"We're anticipating if this law is passed, there would be some
diversion for illegal use," said Barry Staubus, Sullivan County
District Attorney General. "It would probably require more lab funds
because we are seeing more illegal oils."

Staubus said officers around the state would need to be retrained to
recognize the oil. One of the reasons law enforcement would need
retraining is methamphetamine oil, which officers have been seeing
recently.

Staubus is concerned about illegal products being used for legal use
and who would grow the marijuana to be converted into CBD oil.

Staubus is not opposed to people using medicine and if there is a
medicine out there that will help people, he is all for it. But he
still has concerns.

Staubus worries that CBD oil will become like prescription pills
where, while the intention is good, it will be used illegally and
diverted to other people for illegal purposes.

"Will the law be drafted in such a way for the prevention of abuse and
misuse," he said.

In 2014, the Tennessee legislature and Gov. Bill Haslam approved a
four-year study of the use of cannabis oil in treating intractable
seizures. The state commissioned Tennessee Tech to grow marijuana,
process it into oil and dispense it within limitations set by the law.

At least one neurologist in East Tennessee approves CBD oil as an
alternative treatment to prescription drugs.

Dr. Anna Kosentka, a Knoxville pediatric neurologist who treats
children with infantile spasms, sent a letter to the legislature
voicing her full approval for the use of CBD oil. She said in the
letter while there are many medications, they are not effective for
all patients and implored the representatives to give the matter
serious consideration.

In order for medical providers to be able to dispense cannabis oil,
they needed to be a part of a medical study, but the law is limited
and doesn't allow any doctor to prescribe oil to any patient across
the state.

Faison's bill hopes to change that, making oil immediately available
to patients.

Monday's vote will decide the fate of the bill and whether seizure
patients will be able to receive immediate access to the oil.
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