BY TYLER FARDELL
Trials for medicinal cannabis have started across the state and in the Hunter with 40 children living with severe epilepsy receiving doses of cannabis -derived medicine; Epidiolex.
The children selected for the trial suffer from treatment-resistant epilepsy and can experience up to hundreds of seizures a day.
It's part of a 21 million dollar government program to explore the therapeutic use of medicinal cannabis.
The lead trial researcher Dr John Lawson, from the Sydney Children's Hospital says it's an important first step.
"The scheme will see some of the sickest children in NSW- who have not responded to available epilepsy drugs and treatments, gain access to a regulated pharmaceutical supply of the promising medicine".
12 Hunter children are currently undergoing the trial in John Hunter Hospital
