Mothers Who Pioneered Medical Cannabis for Their Children

Moms have always played a critical role in the medical cannabis movement, which is why we created MOMMS — Mothers of Medical Marijuana Smokers — in the 1990s. Three MOMMS in particular helped to shape the early fight for medical cannabis. You can see them in the picture above. From left to right:

• In Idaho, Janet Andrews discovered cannabis as a lifeline for her three-year-old son Josh, who was undergoing grueling chemotherapy for Wilm’s Tumor in 1980. When anti-nausea drugs failed, she baked cannabis cookies that allowed Josh to eat, play, and complete treatment. Janet became a vocal advocate, joining the Alliance for Cannabis Therapeutics and testifying at DEA rescheduling hearings. Her courage, grounded in a mother’s intuition and evidence, showed the world that cannabis could save lives.

• Mae Nutt of Michigan, often called “Grandma Marijuana,” turned personal loss into national advocacy. After cannabis eased the suffering of her son Keith, who battled testicular cancer, Mae and Keith became advocates for the Michigan marijuana-as-medicine bill that passed in October 1979. It was signed into law on the day Keith died. Mae became a tireless advocate for medical cannabis. She testified before federal hearings, circulated petitions, and urged lawmakers to recognize marijuana’s medicinal value—especially for patients with cancer and AIDS. Mae’s determination helped keep the conversation alive when federal resistance was strongest.

• In 1992, in England, Dr. Anne Biezanek risked her career and freedom to help her daughter Lucy, whose thyroid disorder and mood swings resisted conventional medicine. Recognizing cannabis as a stabilizing, non-addictive treatment, Anne supplied it herself when nothing else worked. Arrested and charged, she successfully defended her actions in court, while continuing to call for medical research and reform. Her case spotlighted the criminal risks families faced when choosing compassion over prohibition.