KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Kansas City area hospitals are denying cannabis oil recommendations for people with severe epilepsy even though the state of Missouri passed a law last year allowing the drug to be used for such issues.

No hospitals in the area will allow their doctors to write a recommendation for the medicine, also known as CBD oil.

The head of epilepsy and neurophysiology at Children’s Mercy Hospital, Dr. Ahmed Abdelmoity, cites problems with the medicine, such as no knowledge of a standardized strength for child doses, side effects from long-term use and reactions with other medications.

Children’s Mercy plans to start a study on the use of cannabis oil in epileptic patients next year, but it will not be widely recommended.

Doctors are allowed to write cannabis oil recommendations at the Comprehensive Epilepsy Care Center in St. Louis.

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Associated Press information from: KCTV-TV