Doctors are successfully using cannabis to treat a schoolboy from County Tyrone, Northern Ireland with a form of epilepsy previously described as 'uncontrollable'.
Billy Caldwell, 11, has been suffering frequent life-threatening seizures throughout his life, but he's now gone 15 days without a fit after doctors in Los Angeles started giving doses of cannabis oil.
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His mother, Charlotte, now hopes politicians in the UK will legalise the drug for medicinal use.
"Billy isn't sitting smoking joints, obviously, he gets daily syringes of the oil into his mouth - and the results speak for themselves," said Charlotte.
"Billy has been taking the cannabis oil for a few weeks now. He hasn't had a seizure for 16 days when before he was having around seven every week.
Image credit: Cascade News
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"Not only has the cannabis oil significantly reduced his seizures, his wee personality is starting to come out.
"I have been living with Billy for the last 11 years. I can honestly say I don't think it was the real Billy! There is a wee twinkle in his eye, he is becoming more aware of his surroundings and less imbalanced, eating more and becoming more mischievous!
"As every day passes on CBD he is changing for the better."
Billy suffers from intractable and status epilepsy, which it was previously thought could not be controlled by lifestyle or medication.
Earlier this month the Republic of Ireland passed legislation in its lower house which legalised weed for those suffering from life-threatening or debilitating illnesses like cancer and MS. Charlotte is now calling on UK politicians to do the same.
Billy's brother, Kyle, will be delivering a letter to Northern Ireland's Health Minister, Michelle O'Neill, this week, urging her to legalise medicinal cannabis so his brother can return home in the New Year.
"It's remarkable medication and I think it is time our Health Service made it available to the people who will medically benefit from it,' said Charlotte.
"Billy's condition is a brutal diagnosis for any wee child to deal with, but with the help of CBD and brain surgery in the coming weeks, I'm feeling hopeful he will overcome it and return home safely in the New Year."
What do you reckon, is it time to legalise cannabis?
Featured image credit: Cascade News