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Young Scot ‘crippled’ by epilepsy gets first dose of medicinal cannabis

Published 27 Aug 2018

Young Scot ‘crippled’ by epilepsy gets first dose of medicinal cannabis

The five-year-old, who is a P2 pupil at Edinburgh’s Clermiston Primary School, was finally given medicinal cannabis after falling heavily and cutting his head during a seizure on Tuesday night. He has been in and out of the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh since he was diagnosed with myoclonic astatic epilepsy aged two and receives treatment there for upwards of 12 crippling seizures a day.

                                               

His mother, Karen Gray, who has two other children, handed in a 170,000 signature petition to Downing Street last April, in a bid to trigger a parliamentary debate that would see the drug made available on the NHS. Home Secretary Sajid David has since announced he would relax the rules about the circumstances in which GPs can give the drug to patients after considering expert advice from a specially comissioned review. It followed other high-profile cases like Murray’s including that of young epilepsy sufferers Alfie Dingley and Billy Caldwell, whose conditions appeared to be helped by cannabis oil. Karen told The Scotsman she was “delighted” with the decision to allow her son medicinal cannabis.

She said:It’s amazing – it’s a huge relief that Murray’s now receiving the medicinal cannabis – we’ll just have to hope that it works. We fought hard to get it and he’s really happy. He’s got to take the medicinal cannabis twice a day. He had his first dose on Wednesday night and he got his second dose this morning. We gave him it in an oral syringe and it just drops on to his tongue. We don’t know if the epidiolex will work as he’s only had a small dose, so we just really need to wait and see what happens in the next couple of weeks.

She added: “The night before he had a drop seizure and smashed his head and had to get the cut glued together. “We’re in hospital at the moment because Murray’s hadn’t being doing too well with the seizures.” Edinburgh West Lib Dems MP Christine Jardine said: “I am so relieved to see Murray is finally getting the treatment his mum Karen has worked so hard for that I thought I might cry when I saw the pictures on Twitter. “He’s one brave little boy, with a determined mum who not only helped him, but her campaign helped draw attention to the need for a change in the law to allow so many people in pain to get relief from medicinal cannabis.”

She added: “That change is happening and we must make sure we don’t ever again allow children like Murray, or adults who are in pain, to go on suffering when there is a solution.”

 What do you think of this development? Would you be interested to try medicinal marijuana for your epilepsy?

4 comments


lesmal • Ambassador
on 27/08/2018

Thank you for the article; may it help those children in desperate need of medicinal marijuana to help alleviate the extent of their seizures! 

I have had epilepsy now for 45 years, and have been on medication since the age of 16... Having re-located from Africa, marijuana was illegal for years and still is... There I would not attempt it so as to not abuse the legal system, but luckily have control of my seizures now after the correct dosages have been found after all these years. After being on the same two medications for over 30 years, I would not take the risk of changing now!

God bless all those who have no control and need a change; may it work for them! 


JosephineO • Community manager
on 27/08/2018

@lesmal Yes hopefully this will be step forward, 12 seizures a day for anyone, especially a child, is giving no quality to life. Hopefully the young boy and his family have great success with this. 


lesmal • Ambassador
on 27/08/2018

@JosephineO‍  Having a seizure is exhausting and depending on the type of epilepsy and type of seizure, knocks us for days and sometimes weeks... The best thing is getting lots of rest and sleep if possible... Headaches, muscle pain, drowsiness and lack of sleep can still all occur during the recovery process.

Hoping Murray and family will have success with this treatment.

I look forward to hearing any progress in this regard. 


Mrs E Larkin • Ambassador
on 28/08/2018

Delighted that this step forward in treating epilepsy has been proven to be successful at long last! Good Wishes to all who need to resort to Cannabis oil for relief from seizures!

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