I wanted to provide another update on medical cannabis, as in the last week EFMN has had calls from three reporters about the issue and it continues to make national news.

On July 1, patients can obtain medical cannabis through the Minnesota Department of Health and seizures, including those characteristic of epilepsy, are a qualifying condition.

The Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota is working on a number of resources in advance of the July 1 launch date:

• EFMN.ORG/CANNABIS are new webpages for both patients and providers to navigate the process, including breaking news as we receive it.  The pages also include a checklist for patients to print out to understand the steps to access medical cannabis when it becomes available.  Visit this page often for updates.

• A representative from the MN Department of Health’s Medical Cannabis program will be on-site to answer questions at our Midwest Seizure Smart Conference on July 16, 2015 at the Radisson Duluth Harborview.  You can register here and we’re working to get the distributors to attend our fall conference and Seizure Smart Community Workshops across MN and ND.

• We have a 24/7 helpline available to provide personalized service and answer questions.  Call 800.779.0777, ext. 2310 during business hours or call 866.748.8008 after hours (800.332.1000 en Espanol). 

We are hopeful medical cannabis can work for people impacted by severe seizures and encourage people to discuss the viability of this treatment with their physician. This is a new therapy for both patients and providers, and we want to provide information to help people navigate the program.  EFMN is a resource for ALL epilepsy therapies.

EFMN Professional Advisory Board Member and Pediatric Neurologist Dr. Timothy Feyma says, “Providers are trying to help patients, and often their caregivers, navigate the new reality surrounding medical cannabis use. EFMN is committed to self-education regarding this topic and providers hope to work with the distributors to address issues should they arise, in addition to learning from success stories if seen. Every day we will learn more about this process and hopefully make necessary refinements along the way in the interest of the families EFMN serves,” said Dr. Timothy Feyma, a pediatric neurologist and chair of EFMN’s Professional Advisory Board.

I will continue to post medical cannabis and other treatment updates on our blog and website to help the 60,000 people with epilepsy in our community rise above seizures.

- Vicki Kopplin, executive director