A couple of days ago KSL ran a story about the potential benefits that a medicine made from a marijuana extract may have for persons suffering from epilepsy. The medicine is called Alepsia and is derived from a hemp plant. It contains THC, the active ingredient of marijuana which can give a high, but in low amounts. It also is high in cannabidiol, which acts as the active ingredient in stemming seizures. Medical marijuana is different from Alepsia in that it is high in THC, which makes the drug have psychoactive side affects.
Dr. Francis Filloux of the University of Utah is a professor of pediatric neurology and supports Alepsia, which is currently illegal in Utah. Dr. Filloux states that Alepsia is effective in treating epilepsy. The KSL report also discusses how various families who have epileptic children could be affected by being able to use Alepsia. Some families are even contemplating moving to Colorado just so they can take care of their child with an effective product.
This is just another example of government inefficiency and outright idiocy. There is a product for sale that can benefit someone’s health, but the government feels that it has to approve and regulate the product to protect people from themselves.
The fact that KSL ran this story is encouraging, however, because of the conservative nature of the media outlet and its broad reader base, which seems to suggest that Utahns may be changing their views, a least a little bit, with regards to marijuana. We’re probably a long way off from seeing medical marijuana legal in this state, but Utah seems to be taking the initial steps to get there.
