Personal Stories: Genny

Our daughter Genevieve (Genny) Barbour has intractable epilepsy and autism spectrum disorder. Her condition began with infantile spasms, which presented at 3 months of age. She is now 16 years old, and the only medicine which has ever controlled a single seizure is medical cannabis. Genny typically suffered from a tonic-clonic seizure daily or at least every other day. She regularly used rectal Dia-Stat to stop severe seizures, sometimes 15+ times per month. For the last 6 months, Genny's seizures have been controlled to typically one tonic-clonic every 5 days or so now.

Genny is now exploding with her ability to learn and her maladaptive behaviors have significantly decreased as well. We have been on The View with Whoopi Goldberg, and have appeared on numerous local New Broadcasts. Genny story has also been carried by People Magazine on-line; SJ News in print; Good HouseKeeping, and lots of internet stories.

We are involved in spreading information about epilepsy (and autism) and the wonderful effects that medical cannabis appears to have on both illnesses. Our journey really began, in November 2014, when Genny's Marijuana Doctor increased her dose of MMJ from 3 to 4 times per day, with one dose being administered at noon, with her daily lunch. Well, the private school for children with disabilities where Genny is placed, FREAKED OUT! No way were they allowing marijuana (a schedule (I) narcotic) on school grounds.

We have been in court since. I am both Genny's Dad, and her attorney. I represent both Genny and her Mom Lora (my spouse) in the New Jersey Office of Administrative Law, and the Federal District Court for New Jersey, regarding Genny's rights to take MMJ while at school, Lora's right to go to school and administer Genny's medicine, and Genny's right to have the school nurse administer her medicine, just like any other child, and with any other medicine.

If you go to CannaSense.com and click on "perspectives" at the top, our story is on a video link. You can also see her story on her FaceBook page, Genny's Purple Ribbon Journey.

You can also support Genny at her gofundme.com/9k2htsnw account. This money is being used to pay for her legal costs. Even though I am an attorney, we have had well over $10,000.00 in miscellaneous costs, such as filing fees, paper, ink, copying, postage, binding of briefs, etc., etc., and paying staff.

Our efforts have resulted in Genny's school, the LARC school in Bellmawr, New Jersey, is the FIRST school in the nation to permit medical marijuana on school grounds. That was the direct result of a bill being passed in Genny's name, requiring that school's permit pupils with proper licenses to possess and use MMJ on school grounds, as an exemption and exception to the controlled dangerous substances act, and the No Drugs on School Grounds laws.

Roger Barbour