Mother Worries Son Will Struggle to Find Marijuana

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By Kyle Midura

Story Published: May 10, 2011 at 5:50 PM MDT

Story Updated: May 11, 2011 at 3:34 PM MDT

BILLINGS - A Montana woman says medical marijuana helps her autistic teenage son communicate. She's concerned all his progress will be for naught if the bill to reform medical marijuana legislation makes it past the governor's desk.

Coral Campbell says in 2001, her son was uncontrollable. "I have a 14-year-old son that has high-functioning Asperger's," she said, "Nick was never able to sit still and play Legos, or color in a coloring book."

The family took up sign language because he only spoke gibberish. Desperate, Campbell signed him up for a Canadian experimental drug trial.

"It totally changed his life," said Campbell, "at the end of 19 months, we found out was taking THC capsules."

"Not only was I ecstatic to hear 'I love you mommy,' but to be able to understand it," she said.

These days, Nick will eat a cannabis cookie, or have a sucker before bed. He's capable of attending school, if only for a few hours, and has been able to stop taking prescription drugs that hurt his kidneys.

"It's very disturbing to me to know that I might not be able to get (edible marijuana products) for him," said Campbell.

A reform bill is expected to pass mid-May, eliminating commercial caregivers. Campbell says she has no interest in learning how to grow her own marijuana, and says making liquid medicine and treats are well beyond her capabilities.

"It's a matter of knowing how it's made, what's in it, how much is in it, what percentage (THC) it is," said Campbell, "and that's what I expect when I go to the pharmacy."

Legislators say they aimed to eliminate caregivers and reduce the number of patients because many recreational users abused the law.

"I can't sit back and watch my child suffer again," said Campbell. But she's not going to grow marijuana or turn to the black market. She says if efforts to stop the reform bill don't work, she'll likely move to another state.

The governor has until Friday to act on the reform bill.

Coral Campbell also became a medical marijuana patient in 2010. She uses the drug in order to combat aggressive pancreatic cancer.

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Amy McIntyre said on Saturday, Oct 15 at 12:57 AM

Or maybe for once...you could take responsibility and try to really be a mom. Try to actually care about your child more than about the attention you might gain from this article. Have you even thought about the labels you are placing on your son!

doohan said on Tuesday, Aug 2 at 5:21 PM

I'm fully in support of legalizing cannabis, but I don't understand how someone with Autism can have a card. There is no provision in the law for any mental health indications. I'd be concerned if I were the physician who had signed off on this, the Board of Medical Examiners is on a witch-hunt.

Julian Pursell said on Saturday, Jul 16 at 8:47 PM

@Curious. Pot? You call it pot then go on about 'proper science'? Seriously, you don't even know enough for me to know how to begin filling in the gaps for you. I guess you will just have to wait for it to be 'ok-ed' by the 'scientists'. In the meantime, we will carry on with spreading the good news :) Google "Mieko and Joey Autism" too.

Curious said on Saturday, May 14 at 10:28 PM

Julian Pursell, I was referring to two very different (yet strangely, very similar) conditions the child in question has been diagnosed with. Couple the multiple and unpredictable behavior aspects, then combine pot into the mix. If you don't think that's a disaster waiting to happen, then you've got a big problem. There are behavioral science/methods available that don't necessitate the use for drugs. My point, children don't understand the consequences of MM, nor does an autistic/aspergers kid understand or have the ability to discern to what degree or harm could come to them by using MM, particularly long-term use, and as it relates to developing brain or thought skills. When parents start self medicating their children with pot, it isn't out of necessity, it's out of desperation. When mothers of autistic kids medicate them, most often it is to subdue them to the point the point mom doesn't have to "deal" anymore. Do you think that's a suitable resolution? I certainly don't.

tmm said on Thursday, May 12 at 7:43 PM

the only slime hole i'm aware is the home where kma's comments came from

kma said on Thursday, May 12 at 7:21 PM

hey mom give him some meth that way you and him can live happily forever.

kma said on Thursday, May 12 at 7:19 PM

what a sad amount of worthless people sit here and post their comments.If you want this so called medical weed then go somewhere else its bad enough that crime in billings has jumped 100% since this illegal drug was able to be sold.I find it that most of you on here come up with excuses just to buy this stuff and probably live off the working people or you steal to support your habbit.Rest assure this will get repealed and you will have to go back to the slime hole you crawled out of.

Phil said on Wednesday, May 11 at 9:48 PM

I agree ... I moved for a similar reason. Life's too short. I think the way we get legal weed is when publicly traded marijuana companies like listed on http://kushstocks.com grow to be big enough to be more politically influential

Anonymous said on Wednesday, May 11 at 5:54 PM

sadly this is all happening because so many people had to go out and ruin it for everyone who does need it! I also don't think people should drive while using it though. I won't drive while on a pain pill and I would expect others to do the same.

Fisher said on Wednesday, May 11 at 5:30 PM

@ Weed Dealer... how is is "morally correct" to commit a crime? I feel like your so called "moralls" are out of whack. If anything, think about ways to make it legal... that would help any and all in Montana that suffer from something MM aids in. But it is true that as with most drugs your body becomes accustom and the effects lessen with prolonged use... it sure as hell isn't a cure but it could be a start.

MaineGuy said on Wednesday, May 11 at 2:53 PM

To those saying that cannabis does not cure cancer - the National Institute on Cancer (a part of the National Institutes of Health, a federal agency) states that cannabinoids do, in fact, have antitumor effects that should be investigated further. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/cannabis/healthprofessional/page4

Kathleen Shannon said on Wednesday, May 11 at 1:42 PM

My a fore mentioned son IS a cannabis patient and is doing the best he ever has!

Kathleen Shannon said on Wednesday, May 11 at 1:39 PM

My son (bi-polar) was put on what I now refer to as "Heath Ledger list of narcotics" when he was 13 1/2, he gained 100#s in 4 months due to some of the meds he was being prescribed. Sometimes via Skype..my ex is is Richland Co. If I had know then (1999) what I know now...he would have stayed off the 800$ a month pharms and he would have had a plant and a brownie mix!!! As God as my witness!!

norcal said on Wednesday, May 11 at 12:17 PM

move to california

Meddegree said on Wednesday, May 11 at 11:34 AM

Marijuana is the best analgesic we have and it helps sick people. What if you were sick and the government said you couldn't take antibiotics because of a "drug war". Think about it as a medicine, not a republican scare tactic.

MM Saved Me said on Wednesday, May 11 at 11:27 AM

Since CO has legalized Medical Marijuana I have cut my narcotic use in half. I suffer from two qualifying chronic conditions. I was wasting away. I was in the process of applying for SSI. I think I can be a member of society a while longer. I know you don't want to grow, but give a man a fish he eats for a day...teach him to fish and he eats for life. Someone will show you. It's cheaper and cleaner and always available.

OFWGKTA said on Wednesday, May 11 at 11:11 AM

Hell ill make a batch and give them to this kid out of kindness

Julian Pursell said on Wednesday, May 11 at 9:54 AM

@Curious. Don't worry, the experts know it is safe and autistic people have used THC and Cannabis for many years without problems. Imagine sanity and insanity are two ends of a scale: Autistic people are too sane. Cannabis makes them more normal. Please do your research, and check out 'Cannabis for Autism' on facebook.

StickChick said on Wednesday, May 11 at 9:39 AM

THC does not cure diseases or cancer. It treats the symptoms of the treatment side effects. It enhances the appetite which gets the patient eating again and enables them to provide sustenance to a body that is under a lot of strain due to the treatment. If it works, why fight it? That is stupid!

BigE said on Wednesday, May 11 at 8:43 AM

My brother was out of control adhd and the second he started thc he was calm and could actually complete a task. After he stopped he reverted back

Mary said on Wednesday, May 11 at 8:22 AM

I've never heard of marijuana curing Alzheimer's. Cancer or Parkinson's. Asperger's Girl needs to check her facts!!

Iowa Resident said on Wednesday, May 11 at 8:06 AM

Way to go mom for helping your son!!! Thinking outside the box is what needs to happen with Marijuana, for too long the plant has been given a bad name, thus making it almost illegal to find out what it can be used for.

AspergerGirl said on Wednesday, May 11 at 8:03 AM

To me, smoking cannabis gave me everything I didn't have at school (I started to smoke at 17), I became social, got friends, started to go out, helped me to sleep, to get through the day, to gain weight (I was mildly anorexic before, forgot to eat). I think cannabis is the best multipurpose medicine there is, God put it here for a reason. It cures so many illnesses, Alzheimer, Parkinson, Cancer, there's very little chemical drugs that can actually CURE you, not make you depentant and destroy your organs in the process. It cured my social awkwardness, I managed to gain a life I almost missed because of Asperger's.

bajainsider said on Wednesday, May 11 at 8:00 AM

Hah! "There is no valid SCIENCE in this yet" All you have to do is look OUTSIDE the US borders where there is mountains of research. Canada has done plenty including discovering that unlike booze, pot even has a very limited affect on driving stats. Stop the drug war, legalize it all NOW.

curious said on Tuesday, May 10 at 11:59 PM

The thing is, Campbell, you have no idea what those capsules are doing to your son's developing brain and mind. There is no valid SCIENCE in this yet, least of all for kids. With two behavioral conditions, you're taking some pretty big risks for your child, especially in his teenage years and as he reaches adulthood. Do some real research into this and you'll find out what you need to know to actually protect your son from what could potentially hurt him (if it hasn't occurred already). I'm not saying this shouldn't be studied, because it should, but until then, you're playing with fire. MM is generally only a temporary effect on behavior, but in children, has lasting effects on behavior and psyche. Those two conditions coupled with MM might be a ticking time bomb. Think about that.

scott said on Tuesday, May 10 at 9:22 PM

How sad the FDA /DEA just can't let these people live their lives. I guess we live in a land ruled by the Pharmacy industry now.

Weed Dealer said on Tuesday, May 10 at 7:26 PM

I will drive to Billings and sell you marijuana because its the right thing to do. Illegal or not, assisting with your supply is the morally correct decision. If needed I can find out which strain works best for your son. May his kidneys never hurt again.

kma said on Tuesday, May 10 at 6:15 PM

pack up and move to california or oregon they will take your money.

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