THE plight of a Lancashire family whose nine-year-old son needs medicinal cannabis to reduce his dozens of daily epileptic seizures has been highlighted by Burnley MP Julie Cooper.

The Labour health spokeswoman raised the case of Ben Griffiths in a special Westminster debate calling for increased NHS prescription of the otherwise illegal drug.

She said: "Ben suffers severe intractable epilepsy. He has up to 300 seizures a day and has come close to death on more than one occasion. At the New Year, Ben was admitted to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. Ben’s parents asked whether he could have access to medicinal cannabis, but they were informed that Alder Hey has a blanket ban. Ben was discharged and his discharge letter stated that his parents had asked for an illegal drug.

"The family turned to a private neurologist and since January this year,Ben has been taking medicinal cannabis. His condition is much improved and yesterday he had only four seizures. They are still unable to get an NHS prescription to supply the medicinal cannabis. The private prescriptions are costing £2,500 a month. The family cannot continue to fund what is for Ben life-saving medication and fear they will lose their son. Mrs Griffiths asked: me 'How sick does our child have to get before the NHS will help him?' ”

Junior health minister Seema Kennedy said a review and clinical trials were under way with a report expected shortly.