Is Medical Marijuana Safe For Minors And Can They Obtain a Medical Card?

Medicinal cannabis is gaining its popularity and is now legal now in many US states. Abated laws on cannabis have given a boost to medical marijuana studies. While prescription drugs come along with various effects, they sometimes fail to manage or cure certain illnesses. You must have heard the story of Charlotte Figi, a young girl who suffered from Dravet syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy found in infants. It appeared that her epilepsy was eased with the use of CBD (Cannabidiol), an ingredient found in cannabis. Charlotte Figi was the face of the CBD movement and promoted the cannabis medical use for epilepsy and Dravet syndrome.

I remember discussing Charlotte’s Web cannabis strain with a friend who was applying for his 420 med evaluations and MMJ card in Murrieta to control his seizures. 

Charlotte’s Web weed can be found in dispensaries; named after Charlotte Figi and have high CBD content. 

We will be covering a few points on how safe is medical marijuana for minors and can they apply for a medical card.

Children And Medical Marijuana

There is comparatively less research done on the effects of cannabis on children than adults. While many highlight the benefits of cannabis for recreational and medical use, there remain a few cons that are often under shadowed. Some studies suggest that THC, a cannabinoid found in cannabis could hinder brain development at a younger age. 

While it could be a harsh experience for the parents to see their children meeting a qualifying condition for medical use. It is also a ray of hope in severe cases where no other treatment works. 

Conditions like multiple sclerosis and epilepsy in infants could be a traumatic experience for both parents and the patient when no other treatment is efficient. Waiting for that patient to reach a legal age in these cases doesn't make sense, thus exceptions are made and some cases are treated with a specialty.

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) proclaimed in 2015, which opposed the use of cannabis outside FDA approval due to the lack of proof on the efficacy of marijuana for medicinal use and its potential long term harm. 

However, it was revised with an exception that the medical use of cannabis would be permitted in life-threatening conditions for minors, in case no other treatment is effective. 

Extra caution and supervision are taken to ensure the patient's safety throughout the whole process. Doctors generally start with small dosages to know the efficacy of the medication and a caregiver is also appointed in these cases.

Who is a Medical Marijuana Caregiver?

A medical marijuana caregiver is a designated adult who is responsible for the wellbeing of a patient using cannabis as medicine.

He/She can lawfully purchase or deliver medicinal cannabis for the patient and oversee the treatment. The person doesn't necessarily need to be related to the patient however generally is a close relative. 

In the case of a minor, parents mostly are the caregivers. 

You will be asked to fill up a form and answer questions related to the patient. Caregivers might have to go through a caregiver certification course and will be provided a unique caregiver I.D after all the formalities.

Applying For a Minor's Medical Card

If you are reading this then you probably are looking forward to applying for an MMJ(medical marijuana) card on someone else’s behalf. The procedure is more or less the same and has to be evaluated by an MMJ doctor, but the qualifying condition for applying for a medical card for minors varies from state to state. Sometimes a primary doctor's recommendation or a pediatric specialist's certificate is needed. Few states may permit the medical card for severe medical conditions like epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, cancer, or any terminal illness.