Alex Renton, who is in an induced coma following an undiagnosed seizure.

Prime Minister John Key says he would not support a parliamentary debate on broadening access to medicinal marijuana because there are alternatives available.

His comments come after Capital & Coast District Health Board applied to the Ministry of Health on Friday for approval to use a marijuana extract to treat a Nelson teenager who is in an induced coma in Wellington Hospital.

Alex Renton, 19, has been in the hospital's intensive care unit since April 8 with a condition known as "refractory status epilepticus". This condition causes him to suffer patterns of repeat and unremitting seizures.

The cause of his seizures is unknown but it is thought his body's immune system may be turning against itself, which is known as an auto-immune disorder.

The heath board says it has exhausted all recommended and standard treatment options for Renton but his condition has not improved, which is why it sought permission to use medicinal marijuana.

Renton's mother, Rose, made a a tearful plea on Sunday for the drug to be approved. Labour MP Damien O'Connor also called for Parliament to debate the issue of access to medicinal marijuana.

Key said that, while his advice on the subject could change, he was not "actively looking to progress" a parliamentary debate on the topic.

He sympathised with the Renton's and the "enormous anxiety" they were going through while they waited to see if their application was accepted.

"But there's no guarantee that even if they were given this medical marijuana, that it would achieve better outcomes for their son."

Grant Pidgeon, deputy chief medical officer for Capital & Coast, said many different evidence-based drug agents and treatments had been tried on Renton with no success. "His condition remains extremely serious."

The decision to apply for permission to use a non-standard medicinal cannabinoid on Renton was made after all other options were exhausted.

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