Mother Fights for Cannabis Access to Help Daughter's Serious Illness

Lyndi Carnal, like almost 2 million Americans, suffers from Crohn's Disease, a serious condition that causes inflammation in the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. There is no cure for the illness, people simply must live with and try to manage its painful symptoms. Lyndi is just 17 years of age. Since she was diagnosed with Crohn's in 2013, she has spent three Christmas days in hospital and has had her colon and rectum removed. Tiffany Carnal is Lyndi's mother, who is now battling to access what the family believes to be the best medicine for the teenager - cannabis. Among Lyndi's countless prescription medications is Dilaudid, an opiate that has some very serious side effects including addiction. Speaking to the local press, Tiffany explained her decision to try and gain access to medical marijuana; “These (prescription) medications are making children drug addicts. Lyndi has gone through withdrawals. She was once a cheerleader and a beauty pageant winner, she won all over the state. Now she is bed-ridden and not able to function. As a parent, I have to ask, ‘How can I help my child?'". "I started doing my own research and learned that medical marijuana can help children who have Crohn’s Disease,”. However, the excitement that Tiffany felt when she discovered that their may be an alternative medication option for her daughter, was soon dampened when she realised that their home state, Kentucky, has not legalised any form of cannabis and will not even be considering a medical cannabis bill until later on in 2017. With Lyndi's condition getting worse with every hospital visit, Tiffany is now fighting with her local officials to help speed up the process of legal access. “It’s so frustrating that I can’t give my child a natural oil that could help her and not cause her other organs to fail or for her to be on a constant high,” Carnal said. “I can’t do that, but I can give her drugs that are killing her. There’s got to be a better way. There is. Things… the law… just have to change."