Then, in 2018, her mother Caroline tried CBD oil, which can be bought legally as a food supplement in health shops and contains small amounts of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. Caroline, 49, said: “For two years Mitchell was a different boy, going to school and living his best life.”
But when the CBD oil stopped working, Caroline found it impossible to get cannabis oil containing a higher level of THC by prescription.
Imported cannabis oils were approved for the NHS four years ago, but have so far only been given to three children in the UK.
Desperate, Caroline, from Camelford, Cornwall, accepted an offer of free homemade cannabis oil from a friend who grew the plants to ease her own pain.
Caroline said: “By now Mitchell was having 10 seizures a day and banging his head. He was getting really depressed.” The oil saw her seizures drop to two or three a month.
But Mitchell’s social workers, who support her autism, recently found out about the oil and reported Caroline to the police. She was told to “wean” Mitchell off the cannabis oil, but as soon as she did her seizures started again.
Two detectives called to the family home last Thursday and Caroline fears she will be prosecuted.
