National Jewish Health, a hospital in Colorado, held a Marijuana and Health Symposium earlier this month to discuss the most recent studies and findings related to the medicinal use of cannabis. Now that disorders and diseases such as insomnia and epilepsy have been recognized to benefit from the use of medical marijuana, the field has become curious about the extent of cannabis’ healing powers.
At the age of 11, Coltyn Turner was diagnosed with Crohn's disease and his three year battle left him in a state he, nor his parents, could endure any longer. “I was just on every pharmaceutical there was out there until I wound up in a wheelchair,” Turner said. For the Turners, and many other similar families with sick children, cannabis use was only considered when there weren’t any “traditional” options left.
The Turner’s moved from the Midwest to Colorado in 2014 so Coltyn could try cannabis treatment. Now 15-years-old, Coltyn takes only four pills a day, each of which administers a dose of cannabis oil. “I’d rather be illegally alive than legally dead,” Turner said.
For the past 10 months, Coltyn has lived a symptom-free life and publicly supports the use of cannabis for others living with Crohn's disease. Coltyn’s story was only one of many shared at the Marijuana and Health Symposium this weekend, but testimonies such as his are compelling medical professionals to support cannabis and consider its diverse medicinal faculties.
