Marijuana helps a toddler

The Canadian Silver Tour, a cannabinoid education campaign, came to Summerland's Royal Canadian Legion Saturday to educate locals on the benefits of medical marijuana. And their story revolved around one little girl.

Chris Nuessler, a retired RCMP officer and grandfather to two-year-old Kyla Williams was the introductory speaker at the event which attracted about 50 people. 

"This information may change your life and certainly any misconceptions or prejudices with regard to this natural plant - a gift of healing possibilities," he said. "It certainly has changed ours."

As Castanet has previously reported, Williams has suffered from seizures since she was one-month-old.

Photo: Contributed

Kyla Williams has been seizure free for a week now, thanks to medical marijuana treatment.

"In March of this year, Jared and Courtney were told Kyla may always seizure like this, development would not advance and her life expectancy was shorter," said Nuessler. "We were given no hope and we mourned our loss."

That hope was rekindled when they discovered a specialized medical marijuana oil that is low in the active ingredient THC (which is what gets people high when they smoke marijuana) and high in a different ingredient known as cannabidiol or CBD. 

Nuessler hopes that the Silver Tour will help in "spreading the awareness of the healing power of medical marijuana."

"What we ask for is simple: access to all forms of medical marijuana, awareness of its medical benefits and acceptance by all."

Currently Canadian law only permits dried marijuana to be used medically, which excludes products like the oil being used on Kyla.

With the new oil, Kyla's seizures almost immediately subsided, he said. Most days, she has no seizures at all. 

Nuessler concluded by promoting a charitable organization called Kyla's Quest - medical cannabis for sick kids, which began as a YouTube video that his wife made. 

Check in tomorrow for the full video story.