Just as the Illinois Senate considering whether or not to legalize medical marijuana this week, this incredible story about the 25 year old Indianapolis mother who forgot about leaving her babies in the bathtub when she got distracted watching the TV show "American Idol" blankets the talk show circuit.
It was the woman's 7 year old that found her little sister drowning in the tub while her mom stared at the TV screen. Little Sirius Brooks, by God's grace, survived and clings to life six days later. Her mother, Sheila Brooks, hasn't been charged yet because local law officials say little Sirius responds to her mother's voice.
And if that story is not tragic enough, we now learn that police found marijuana in the mother's bedroom where she was mesmerized by "American Idol" . . .
They also found remains of five burnt marijuana cigarettes in the next room. Appropriate charges are being considered.
Which brings us to the point: Although Indiana doesn't yet authorize medical use of marijuana, what if this was a situation that would warrant its use under Senator John Cullerton's SB 2865 being considered again this week in the Illinois Senate?
What if an Illinois woman like Sheila Brooks requested the state to authorize her to use pot for a chronic ailment? Would the state then bear partial responsibility if her children suffered harm while she was "medicated"?
Would Senator Cullerton consider amending his legislation to say the state will assume custody of minors when a doctor authorizes their parents to use marijuana under the state's guidelines? It seems fairly clear that someone needs to think of the children who will be uncared for and neglected while one or both of their parents are authorized by the state to be "marijuana-medicated." How do the other 13 states handle that issue?
The good senator emailed me over the weekend, apologizing for not returning my call last week, asking me to call him again. I'll try to talk to him again, and I'll let you know what he says. In the meantime, what do you think? Should parents of minors be authorized by the state for the medical use of pot?
