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Kansas is currently at the epicenter of a new controversy in the cannabis industry. It appears that freedom of speech does not apply to cannabis. This controversy arose after an 11-year-old disagreed with what he was told during a school sponsored drug education class.
On March 24, Shona Banda‘s son was taken from her by the State of Kansas. The situation began when police and counselors at the school presented a drug education class. Her son, who had previously moved with his mom to Colorado so she could treat her Crohn’s disease with cannabis oil, had a different perspective on what was being presented by the school officials. He simply said things like “My mom calls it cannabis and not marijuana.”
Police raid house and take son away
After Shona Banda‘s son disagreed with the distorted information that was presented, police detained him and raided her house. They pulled her son out of school shortly after lunch and interrogated him. Police showed up at Banda’s house without a warrant at 3pm. The police waited around until they received a warrant at 6pm and then searched the house.
The police found 2 ounces of cannabis oil in Banda’s house. Neither of the boy’s parents were contacted by authorities before he was taken away. Ms. Banda fears that the state will place her son in state custody. A hearing on the issue is scheduled for Monday.
What happened to freedom of speech?
A spokesman from the Garden City Police Department confirmed that officers had searched Banda’s house, but denied that it was a raid. The spokesman said that the son contradicted some of information presented about marijuana at the school. The school contacted the state child protection agency which then contacted the police.
The spokesman said that the police found evidence of drug activity in the child’s home. There are no criminal charges pending against Ms. Banda but the spokesman would not discuss whether charges were forthcoming.
It is absurd that a woman could lose the custody of her child for using cannabis oil which she legally purchased from a dispensary located one hour away. Her son defended his mother and presented facts that proved that the school counselors did not know what they were talking about. Because he stuck up for his mother, the state arrested her and took him away.
A child deserves a semi-normal life
In mid-January, Kansas State Senator David Haley said that the legalization of medical marijuana in Kansas is inevitable, a position supported by Republican State Representative Basil Dannebohm.
Dannebohm said, “You know I had a young constituent come to me with a son … who has 30 seizures a day. They’ve tried everything. “A child deserves to live a semi-normal life. How can I in good conscience not at least explore the opportunity? It’s about getting voices heard.”
Haley and Dannebohm need to get this situation fixed and under control. Dannebohm said a child deserves to live a semi-normal life. Back up what you said, make sure no charges are filed and get Shona Banda‘s son back to his mother.
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