Australian citizen Adam Koessler was arrested on January 2 for administering medicinal cannabis to his two year old daughter, Ruma Rose, who has been diagnosed with and is suffering from Stage 4 Neuroblastoma, a common childhood cancer.

Ruma Rose had a 50 percent chance of survival and received aggressive chemotherapy treatment for an 11cm cancerous tumor, which was inflicting pressure upon her internal organs.

Given such drastic and devastating statistics concerning his daughter’s life, Koessler went in search of alternative treatment, which ultimately led to him dosing his child with cannabis oil. After administration, Koessler said that the oil had a “miraculous” effect on Ruma’s condition.

The effectiveness of the treatment comes as no real surprise to anyone who’s been paying attention. Multiple studies have given scientific confirmation of the anti-tumour action of cannbinoids, such as THC and CBD, which are found in the cannabis plant. The potential of concentrated cannabis to treat various cancers is also increasingly apparent via the numerous individual testimonials that can be found online and catelogued in some medical marijuana dispensaries.

Unfortunately, regardless of how effective cannabis was at keeping Adam’s daughter alive, it remains illegal in Australia. Upon travelling to Brisbane to pursue further treatment for his daughter, Koessler was arrested in a hospital. He was charged with supplying dangerous drugs to a person under the age of 16 and possessing dangerous drugs.

Koessler’s bail conditions prevent him from being in either direct or indirect contact with his daughter. Considering that his daughter is in such a fragile and delicate state, many have rallied behind Adam, referring to his charges as ‘’inhumane and unjust.”

Adam appeared in front of the Brisbane Magistrates court on January 20, 2015 to face the charges. The outcome of the court proceedings is unclear at the time of publication.

On January 21, Adam reportedly arrived at the hospital to visit his daughter. While this was against the terms of his bail and officers were called, he was allowed to stay by her side, as reported by the UK’s Daily Star.

A petition has been set up via the website Change.org in support of Koessler’s situation. The petition calls for leading politicians to drop the case against Adam, and outlines the clear medicinal qualities that Cannabis harbors, as the BBC reported.

As the petition explains, is clear that this man was acting from a place of educated compassion in an attempted to improve the chances of his daughter’s survival as she faces a vicious and damaging disease.

The petition has currently reached over 140,000 signatures, with a goal of 150,000.

So far $14,000 has been raised to aid Adam Koessler in paying his legal fees and over 52,000 people have liked the Facebook page promoting his cause.

The laws in place due to the global War on Drugs, especially pertaining to cannabis, withhold potentially life-saving medicines from the public. They victimize families and potentially destroy the lives of those who have to break these laws in times of desperation. It’s time to rethink our drug policies.

