Toddler with epilepsy first to get licence for marijuana use
Tristan Forde from Dunmanway, Co Cork, who suffers from Dravet Syndrome, has lived US for over a year with his mother, Yvonne and brother Oscar.
She decided to relocate in order to administer the medicinal marijuana to her son in a bid to help reduce the number and severity of his seizures.
Tristan has been seizure-free for over three months.
Yvonne Cahalane told C103’s Today programme that she was delighted to receive the news just days after they returned back to Ireland.
Tristan turns three on St Stephen’s Day and is happy to be reunited with his dad John who stayed in Dunmanway for work reasons.
Yvonne said she’s ecstatic that her son’s application for the use of medicinal marijuana has been approved. She directly applied to Minister for Health Simon Harris for the licence.
“We finally got the phone call. He is the first wee man in Irish history to be legally allowed access medicinal marijuana in Ireland. We are thrilled. We got a call yesterday and confirmation yesterday that his application is approved. It has been frustrating. None of this has been rosy or plain sailing. It has taken years. Mainly because there was no such thing as an application process before we left, so they had to design an application process, which took the majority of the waiting time,” Yvonne said.
“Others will have this option now. They need to know, and be aware, that they have an option now instead of considering to self-medicate. They can go to a doctors and discuss this with them, to work with them, to go ahead and make their application. Tristan is doing great.”
