Need some advice.

I have a friend who’s daughter unfortunately has to use (medical) Marijuana. It’s a sad situation and it seems that she’s using it more often being that her condition is worsening. She desperately hides her use because of the kids.

She has young 4 young children that are all in school. Elementary, two in junior high and one in high school.

What is taught now in class, including elementary school , that drugs are bad. Marijuana being the number one because it leads to other drugs. Unfortunately schools are not teaching the kids that on occasion, in some instances, Marijuana has its benefits.

So my question is: How does she explain to her children that what she is doing is “medicating”?

I need to add this: They also teach in school that cigarettes are bad, very very bad. They are calling cigarettes “drugs” . So of course kids think their parents are drug users. She doesn’t smoke, but, her husband does. The “drilling” got so bad that one of her children went to a guidance counselor saying that his Dad did drugs and they were in the house. Well you can only guess what happened next. The visits from child welfare services, the snooping around, and the threats of having their children removed from the home. This went on for 2 years. If you resist their visits, they can really make your life a living hell.

They have already been down that road and it was brutal. Do they really need to revisit the same road especially now when she couldn’t handle it because she’s so ill.

There is a real fear here. Besides the fact that she is very very ill does she really need to worry about loosing her children because of what the school system is teaching? Could they possibly turn this around to say that she is not well enough to care for her children? She’s got a whole slew of family and friends that give her much much help so that would be moot. However social services/child welfare can make your life HELL if they see things differently.

So my question is: How can she go about this without the risk of loosing her children?

I appreciate you taking the time to read through this. I know some of the content of my post might hit home for some of you, for that I apologize. I don't mean in any way to upset anyone.