When Meghan and Brian Wilson of Scotch Plains moved their family to Colorado in February, they were taking a chance they would find the right combination of medical marijuana that would keep their 3-year-old daughter from succumbing to a potentially fatal form of epilepsy.

Six months later, the Wilsons say they made the right decision, according to stories published in The Star-Ledger and on nj.com on Sunday. Their daughter Vivian is improving; she still suffers seizures but they are less frequent and less severe. Her development, lagging behind by about 12 to 18 months is starting to slowly accelerate.

They say the variety of marijuana available -- grown and sold by people experienced with advising patients based on their illness — gives them an opportunity to find a way to stabilize Vivian, who is diagnosed with a debilitating form of epilepsy known as Dravet syndrome. They are succeeding with a combination of cannabis oils – some bought, some they make at home.

The Wilsons' experience in Colorado is a stark contrast compared to what is happening in New Jersey. There are a handful of families with similarly sick children in New Jersey who have been purchasing medical marijuana from one of the state's three dispensaries. There is no oil or edible products to buy, so they are extracting the active ingredients from the plant and processing it into an oil. With limited cannabis strains available, results are mixed. People have staged weekly demonstrations outside the Statehouse to draw attention to the issue.

There is legislation pending that would revamp the state's medical marijuana law that many saw is too restrictive, and expand the fledgling program. Gov. Chris Christie has said he'll only make changes if Health Commissioner Mary O'Dowd says they are needed. He said the program for some people appears to him to be a "front for legalization" of pot.

We invite readers interested in the issue to bring their questions and thoughts for a discussion at 11 a.m. today. Please keep comments on point and respectful. Thanks.

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Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com politics on Facebook.

