Girl, 7, is Oregon's youngest medical marijuana patient
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A 7-year-old girl suffering from leukemia is one of Oregon's youngest medical marijuana patients.
Her mother says she gives her daughter marijuana pills to combat the effects of chemotherapy, but her father, who lives in North Dakota, worries about the effects of the drug on her brain development.
Mykayla Comstock was diagnosed with leukemia last spring. Her mother treats her with a gram of cannabis oil daily, The Oregonian reported.
Mykayla's mother credits the drug for the leukemia's remission. "As a mother, I am going to try anything before she can potentially fall on the other side," said Erin Purchase, 25, who with her boyfriend administers Mykayla's cannabis.
The girl says the drug helps her eat and sleep but also makes her feel "funny."
"It helps me eat and sleep," Mykayla said. "The chemotherapy makes you feel like you want to stay up all night long."
- WHAT DO YOU THINK? Join the discussion on Facebook
Mykayla's father, who is divorced from the girl's mother, was so disturbed by his daughter's marijuana use that he contacted child welfare officials, police and her oncologist. The father, Jesse Comstock, said his concerns were prompted by a visit with Mykayla in August.
"She was stoned out of her mind," said Comstock, 26. "All she wanted to do was lay on the bed and play video games."
Comstock, who works in a North Dakota oil field, pays child support to Purchase and covers Mykayla's health insurance. He said he observed strange behavior during an August visit and took Mykayla to a private lab, where technicians detected THC levels of an adult daily marijuana user.
Gladstone police contacted the girl's mother, examined Mykayla's medical marijuana paperwork, then told Comstock there was little they could do.
Comstock, who used pot in the past, said he doesn't object to people over 16 using medical marijuana. But he worries about his daughter's well-being and the potential for addiction.
"She's not terminally ill," Comstock said. "She is going to get over this, and with all this pot, they are going to hinder her brain growth.
"It's going to limit her options in life because of the decisions her mother has made for her," he added.
Oregon law requires no monitoring of a child's medical marijuana use by a pediatrician.
The law instead invests authority in parents to decide the dosage, frequency and manner of a child's marijuana consumption.
Many doctors worry about introducing a child to marijuana when they say other drugs can treat pain and nausea more effectively. Purchase believes marijuana heals, and credits the drug for curing her stepfather's skin cancer.
She herself is an Oregon medical marijuana patient, and her boyfriend is Mykayla's grower. She is so convinced of the drug's safety that she consumed it during the pregnancy and while breastfeeding her second child.
When her symptoms are especially bad, Mykayla's mother and her mother's boyfriend will feed her cannabis-infused food. She's had up to 1.2 grams of cannabis oil in 24 hours, the rough equivalent of smoking 10 joints.
Purchase said Mykayla's first oncologist called the marijuana use "inappropriate."
With marijuana, Purchase said her daughter has been able to fight past the chemotherapy and return to a sense of normalcy.
"She's like she was before," her mother said. "She's a normal kid."
___
Information from: The Oregonian, http://www.oregonlive.com
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press
Marijuana or Morphine? Morphine is 100 times more addictive and worse on the body and mind!!! I would use marijuana for my child if it helped. Having to watch your child suffer is one thing,being able to lessen their suffering is better!!!!!
only dope heads would stick up for that woman what she is doing in horrible. I feel sorry for the child and her illness but come on everyone in that little girls family is either a pot head or a grower? do you really think they should be making the decision on how much dope that kid should have since they have no one ounce of medical training ? and this my friends is why i will never support medical marijuana or the legalization of medical marijuana. at least with narcotics they are controlled by the doctor not some stoned out pot head saying oh she is fussy lets feed her a pot brownie
@quasimodo You are an idiot! Your writing skills suck also!!!
Dear God
That child is SUFFERING and is being victimized by pathetically ignorant people who truly need to suffer since that's the only way they'll ever learn what the word empathy means. Her parents are doing their best for her and should ignore criticism.
I'm so sick of very stupid people inflicting their PARANOIA about marijuana on others. Little people with little minds focusing on little issues, are useless when it comes to dealing with big issues, like surviving.
This is also about a bigger issue -- weak-minded people who believe all the government propaganda they hear. The big enemies of marijuana are the corrupt pharmaceutical industry who wants to harm us and have always attacked holistic cures, etc. They get away with the crimes they commit because of weak-minded people who are their own worst enemies.
I don't know, I have mixed feelings on this one....
Good for you Ms. Purchase.
Mixed feelings about a child on it. Especially that much of it. I am all for it being legalized. I am especially for it being used for medical purposes. To me it sounds like mom and boyfriend are keeping her doped up (maybe for their benefit???)...A child let alone some adults don't need 10 joints a day....
Let's send them some money.Â
When used as a medicine it is a wonderful tool! I am living proof that marijiuana doesn't have to have bad effects! I'm a full time student in college, and I'm sixteen!!! It isn't a drug; it's a medicine aid for those who need it.
 @Katty It also shouldn't be used by those with still developing brains unless it is a necessity.
Ahh, I was wondering why you guys regurgitated this story from the other news sources, someone finally mentioned the father, who would rather his daughter be in the hospital dosed up on the expensive stuff, then at home with mom. Yeah, classy.