From birth, it was clear that Jeffrey was not a typical child. By age three he exhibited such severe behavioral problems he was considered a danger to other children. No daycare would take him, and doctors were more stymied than helpful about his extreme aggressiveness and compulsiveness. Threatened with institutionalization for her six-year-old son, Debbie Jeffries resorted to an unusual therapy: marijuana. A conservative Christian, she had no experience with the drug, but extensive research convinced her this might be her last hope. This book powerfully describes the desperate journey of a family toward a semblance of normalcy, including the court battle defending Jeffrey's right to this unconventional treatment, the family's exposure on 48 Hours, and the threat to Jeffrey’s ongoing care by federal raids on California’s medical marijuana dispensaries. The book also features a special resource section, plus commentary by Michael Alcalay, the pediatrician who recommended and supervised Jeffrey’s marijuana therapy; Valerie Corral, who helped design his marijuana regimen; and ethicist Peter S. Clark, Ph.D.
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Editorial Reviews
From the Publisher
What People Are Saying About Jeffrey’s Journey
"This is a remarkable account of one mother’s love for her son and her courage to question conventional thinking in medicine and politics. Readers will take strength and hope from the Jeffries’ story. I certainly did."
- Montel Williams
"Jeffrey's Journey is a compelling first-hand account of the successful use of medical marijuana to treat a serious behavioral disorder in a child. This engaging case report offers an honest look at conventional psychiatric medications, and sheds new light on the untapped possibilities of cannabis as an alternative."
- Andrew Weil, MD
"This is a book that should be read by parents, healthcare practitioners and policy makers—each of whom wields enormous influence in the national debate about the legal use of medical marijuana and all of whom will find something captivating and persuasive in this family’s story."
- Joycelyn Elders, Former U.S. Surgeon General
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Jeffrey's Journey is the remarkable story of a troubled boy and the family who loves him enough to persevere in the face of perpetual obstacles. This book will appeal to readers interested in clinical and therapeutic applications of cannabis, but it's also a valuable book for any parent who has ever felt exasperated, guilty and stressed out while trying to provide for the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of their children. Jeffrey's Journey handles a controversial subject with compassion and sensitivity, and reflects the courage of family members who are unwavering in their commitment to this beautiful and turbulent boy.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
When Jeffrey was born in 1993, he exhibited alarming behavior. Restless and unpredictable in his response, Jeffrey also showed grossly uneven developmental milestones. The boy's father had a drinking problem and this led to a dissolution of the marriage during his infancy.
By age 3, Jeffrey had been bounced from 8 day care centers and nurseries. He was enrolled in special classes from that point on. His behavior was described as destructive and did not appear to have any discernible reason. He seemed to be hallucinating auditorily and visually; on one unforgettable night, he awakened his own mother and said that the "robots in his stomach" were telling him to kill her.
Jeff served time in hospitals and children's ranches; a pharamaceutical cocktail of medications did not appear to help him. However, a natural product did. Reading about medicinal marijuana, Debbie Jeffries started feeding Jeff marijuana laced brownies. The improvement was drastic and immediate. Jeff was lucid; he was focussed and able to function in school. He ate his special brownies prior to leaving for school and upon his arrival home.
Sadly, a child protective agency intervened. Since marijuana is contraband, the special "brownies" were forcibly discontinued and Jeff unraveled. The irony of this bust was that Jeff was being medically supervised by doctors and the improvement he enjoyed was so short lived, once this treatment option was taken from him.
Luckily, a good placement in a residential facility appeared helpful, if for no other reason that it was a place where Jeff could be controlled. One cannot help but hope he can continue with his marijuana treatment as it appeared helpful.
This is the ideal companion book to Beth Henry's MENDING WOUNDED MINDS.
By age 3, Jeffrey had been bounced from 8 day care centers and nurseries. He was enrolled in special classes from that point on. His behavior was described as destructive and did not appear to have any discernible reason. He seemed to be hallucinating auditorily and visually; on one unforgettable night, he awakened his own mother and said that the "robots in his stomach" were telling him to kill her.
Jeff served time in hospitals and children's ranches; a pharamaceutical cocktail of medications did not appear to help him. However, a natural product did. Reading about medicinal marijuana, Debbie Jeffries started feeding Jeff marijuana laced brownies. The improvement was drastic and immediate. Jeff was lucid; he was focussed and able to function in school. He ate his special brownies prior to leaving for school and upon his arrival home.
Sadly, a child protective agency intervened. Since marijuana is contraband, the special "brownies" were forcibly discontinued and Jeff unraveled. The irony of this bust was that Jeff was being medically supervised by doctors and the improvement he enjoyed was so short lived, once this treatment option was taken from him.
Luckily, a good placement in a residential facility appeared helpful, if for no other reason that it was a place where Jeff could be controlled. One cannot help but hope he can continue with his marijuana treatment as it appeared helpful.
This is the ideal companion book to Beth Henry's MENDING WOUNDED MINDS.
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