April 6^th, 2015 – While the Supreme Court of Canada deliberates on whether to allow Canadians to
access medical marijuana products as extracts, parents from across Canada are increasingly frustrated in their attempts to access life-saving, CBD-based medicine for their kids.

Ask Monique Guillamot, an Edmonton parent who found what appears to be a life-saving cure for her four-year-old son Keyaan who suffers from a rare form of epilepsy called Dravet Syndrome and has been on life support four times. After using a wide range of traditional pharmaceutical drugs with myriad side effects, doctors were unable to control his frequent debilitating seizures. When Monique discovered hemp oil containing CBD, within days Keyaan’s recovery was dramatic – his seizures diminished, he began to speak more and began leading a more normal life. Monique says “It was like his brain was woken up. He was on all these meds, sedated for so long, and within a month he was like a new child.”

Unfortunately, CBD oils, even if extracted from hemp plants not containing THC are not legal in Canada. Monique says “I want to save my son, but I’m not going to jail to do it”. Meanwhile, Monique has had to revert back to pharmaceuticals and Keyaan’s condition has worsened. Monique says “I do not understand why they don’t want to help them. It breaks my heart. It doesn’t make sense.”

Children with Dravet’s Syndrome south of the border fare much better than Canadian children. CNN’s Sanjay Gupta has researched and spoken extensively on CBD in its value for children with this severe condition.  CBD extracted from hemp is legal in all 50 states in the United States and available without a prescription in over 40 countries.

CBD oil can be extracted from either industrial hemp plants or medical marijuana. By obtaining CBD oil made from hemp extractions, parents could use a medication without the fear of getting their kids high on THC. Unfortunately, Canada’s Controlled Drugs and Substances Act designates CBD as a Schedule II drug, no matter where it is sourced.