>>> IN FEBRUARY WE MET 11-YEAR-OLD ASHLEY WHOSE PARENTS
FOUGHT FOR HER RIGHT TO USE
MEDICAL MARIJUANA AT HER SCHOOL
IN HER HOME STATE OF ILLINOIS IN
ORDER TO TREAT HER SEVERE
SEIZURES.
SEIZURES. CALIFORNIA MOM JANA ADAMS SAW
OUR STORY AND WROTE TO US ABOUT
HER OWN DAUGHTER BROOKE WHO ALSO
TAKES MEDICAL MARIJUANA TO TREAT
A VERY RARE FORM OF EPILEPSY IN
HER HOME STATE.
EVEN THOUGH MEDICAL MARIJUANA IS
LEGAL WHERE SHE LIVES IN
CALIFORNIA, THE LAW SAYS YOU
CAN’T HAVE IT IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
SO LITTLE BROOKE HAS BEEN TOLD
SHE CANNOT ATTEND KINDERGARTEN
AND HAVE ACCESS TO HER
MEDICATION, WHICH IS A PROBLEM.
WATCH THIS.
WATCH THIS. >> WING AROUND THE ROSIE.
>> JOHN AND JANA ADAMS RAISE
THEIR FAMILY IN CALIFORNIA.
THE FAMILY ENJOYS PLAYFUL
MOMENTS.
MOMENTS. >> ELEPHANT.
>> ELEPHANT. >> THERE ARE ALSO INTERRUPTION
TOSS THAT JOY.
FIVE-YEAR-OLD BROOKE HAS HAD
SEIZURES PRACTICALLY HER WHOLE
LIFE.
LIFE. SHE WAS NEARLY ONE WHEN A DOCTOR
WAS ABLE TO TELL HER PARENTS
WHY?
WHY? >> BROOKE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH
DARVET.
DARVET. HER SEIZURES LAST FOR HOURS.
IT’S DEVASTATING.
IT’S DEVASTATING. >> THERE’S NOT A LOT CAN YOU DO.
>> HER DOCTOR PUT HER ON SEIZURE
MEDICATION BUT THEY DID NOT STOP
COMPLETELY.
COMPLETELY. THEY WERE WILLING TO TRY
ANYTHING TO CONTROL THEM.
>> WE’VE HAD THREE OLDER KIDS.
THEY HAVE HAD LESS TIME WITH MOM
AND DAD BECAUSE SOMEBODY HAS TO
BE WATCHING BROOKE 24 HOURS A
DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK.
>> IN OCTOBER 2014, THE FAMILY
TRIED SOMETHING NEW.
IN ADDITION TO FOUR PRESCRIPTION
MEDICATIONS, THEY GAVE BROOKE
CBD OIL, DERIVATIVE OF MARIJUANA
PLANT.
PLANT. >> WE’RE A MORMON FAMILY.
WE DON’T DRINK, DON’T SMOKE
MARIJUANA.
MARIJUANA. >> CANNABIS HELPED HER DECREASE
THE NUMBER OF SEIZURES SHE’S
BEEN HAVING.
BEEN HAVING. SHE USED TO HAVE 20 TO 30 A
MONTH AND NOW SHE’S DOWN TO, YOU
KNOW, FOUR TO FIVE.
>> LET’S TAKE YOU MEDICINE.
OKAY?
OKAY? >> YOU JUST PUT DROPS IN HER
MOUTH.
MOUTH. SHE TAKES IT THREE TIMES A DAY.
>> GOOD JOB.
>> WE WERE ABLE TO WEAN SOME OF
THE PHARMACEUTICALS OFF BUT SHE
WOULD HAVE WITHDRAWAL SEIZURES.
THAT’S WHEN WE WERE INTRODUCED
TO THC.
TO THC. >> WITH THC OIL, WE HAVE A LOT
OF CONFIDENCE THAT IT WILL STOP
THE SEIZURES QUITE RAPIDLY.
>> SMARTPHONE VIDEO TAKEN BY
BROOKE’S SISTER IN JUNE IS
DIFFICULT TO WATCH.
IT SHOWS HOW BROOKE APPEARS TO
RESPOND ONCE GIVEN THC OIL.
>> SHE’S ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, STOP
THE SEIZURE WITHIN MINUTES.
>> FOR BROOKE IT REALLY CAN BE A
LIFESAVING MEDICATION.
LIFESAVING MEDICATION. THE TYPICAL MEDICATIONS THAT WE
USE AS RESCUE MEDICATIONS JUST
DID NOT WORK.
IT’S CRITICAL THAT SHE HAVE THAT
AVAILABLE TO HER.
>> DESPITE SOME DEVELOPMENTAL
DELAYS, BROOKE IS READY FOR
KINDERGARTEN.
KINDERGARTEN. HER PARENTS SAY SHE WOULD NEED
HER MEDICAL MARIJUANA AND HER
NURSE TO ADMINISTER IT IF SHE
HAD A SEIZURE IN THE CLASSROOM.
CALIFORNIA STATE LAW PROHIBITS
MEDICAL MARIJUANA IN PUBLIC
SCHOOLS.
SCHOOLS. THERE’S A BILL MOVING THROUGH
THE STATE’S LEGISLATURE WHICH
WOULD ALLOW PARENTS OR GUARDIANS
TO ADMINISTER MEDICAL MARIJUANA
TO A STUDENT ON CAMPUS IF THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT WERE TO AGREE.
UNFORTUNATELY JANA SAYS IT WOULD
NOT HELP BROOKE.
>> THE CURRENT BILL ALLOWS A
PARENT OR GUARDIAN TO GO TO THE
SCHOOL, GIVE THE MEDICATION TO
THE CHILD, AND THEN TAKE IT HOME
WITH THEM.
WITH THEM. I WOULD HAVE TO BE SITTING OUT
FRONT OF THE SCHOOL WAITING FOR
A SEIZURE TO HAPPEN.
>> BROOKE’S PUBLIC SCHOOL
DISTRICT, RINCON VALLEY HAS
SUGGESTED SENDING A TEACHER TO
HER HOME.
HER HOME. >> THERE WOULD BE NO SOCIAL
INTERACTION.
INTERACTION. SHE LEARNS FROM WATCHING HER
PEERS.
PEERS. >> THEY HAVE DECIDED TO CONTEST
THE DECISION TO HAVE BROOKE
TAUGHT BY A TEACHER AT HER HEM.
THE HEARING IS SET FOR TOMORROW.
>> BROOKE IS A KID THAT NEEDS TO
GO TO SCHOOL.
THAT’S ALL WE’RE ASKING, FOR HER
TO BE GIVEN MEDICATION SO SHE
CAN ENJOY SCHOOL.
>> THE FAMILY’S ATTORNEY SAYS
BOTH SIDES WANT TO DO WHAT’S
BEST FOR BROOKE.
IN A STATEMENT THE SCHOOL
DISTRICT SAYS THEY APPRECIATE
THE FAMILY’S DESIRE TO HAVE
BROOKE EDUCATED BY A SCHOOL AND
LOOKS FORWARD TO A LEGAL
DECISION THAT WILL GUIDE THEM
THROUGH LEGAL REQUIREMENTS.
THE ADAMS HOPE FOR ONE OUTCOME.
>> WE HOPE BROOKE HAS THE
OPPORTUNITY OTHER KIDS HAVE, TO
GO TO SCHOOL.
IF SHE NEEDS MEDICINE, TO GET
HER MEDICINE.
HER MEDICINE. >> THESE SCHOOLS NEED TO DO
BETTER.
BETTER. WE NEED ACTUAL HUMAN BEINGS