Diabetic daughter on marijuana?

by Cathy

(Peachtree City, GA)

My 20-year-old daughter was arrested 3 weeks ago for marijuana possession (less than 1 oz) and underage possession of alcohol. Her boyfriend was also arrested.

This is her third brush with the law over marijuana. We were raided by the police who were looking for the seller (that was elsewhere), and even my husband and I were handcuffed! (everyone in the house, apparently standard procedure).

She was kept in the county jail overnight until we could bail her out. People have told us to just let her stay in jail, and normally that might be an option, but the problem is she is an insulin-dependent Type I diabetic.

While she was in jail, she was not allowed to take her insulin, and her condition was ignored. Her blood sugar went up to over 500. I dread the possibility of her going to jail because I’m afraid her condition won’t be treated and she’ll end up dead. My husband was furious about this and wants to consult a lawyer.

We are in tight financial circumstances and are desperatly trying to keep from losing our home. I think my daughter might be addicted to marijuana.

She has friends we’re pretty sure are addicted. My husband and I wish she wouldn’t hang out with these people and have told her so, but the problem is that the decent people won’t have anything to do with her. This goes back several years.

For the past 10 years I have been under treatment for mental illness (bipolar disorder), and because my daughter’s diabetes wasnt’t being properly managed (I was having a psychotic episode at the time), we were investigated by the Dept. of Family & Children Services and I was hospitalized for over a month.

My daughter lost several friends because their parents were afraid of both her diabetes and my illness (the Crazy Mom) plus the fact that we were being investigated. (Everybody is scared to death of DFACS & if you get investigated everyone shuns you.) So she ended up befriending these kids who were just as troubled as she was.

She has now moved out of our home, which in some ways is a relief because the friends aren’t around anymore. My daughter has a bad temper and it’s hard for me to talk to her. We almost don’t have a relationship anymore.

She does have a regular job as a waitress and seems to be pretty good at it. One reason we’re hopeful she stays out of jail is because we don’t want her to lose her job, since she seems to be able to be sort of responsible because of it.

We have a younger daughter, 15, who is not at all like her sister. She is an A student at school and has absolutely no interest in drugs of any kind. I guess I’m just wondering what we need to do about my daughter’s marijuana use, how it relates to her diabetes, and if my mental illness has played any part in her situation and/or my ability to deal with her marijuana use.

Any comments will be appreciated.

Tough Situation

by: Ned Wicker


Dear Cathy,

First things first, you need to protect your home and your health. Your daughter’s choices are unfortunate, but her problems are hers and not yours, unless you allow her to ruin your life. I question if her use is limited to marijuana and if she is drinking that is an immidiate red flag for a diabetic.

Any kind of a blood sugar spike is dangerous, so I share your concern about incarceration. Your daughter needs treatment. You can help get her into treatment, but it’s going to be difficult. Call a local treatment center and ask your questions, or call Al-Anon and get some support from them.

Until your daughter is plucked out of her bade lifestyle and gets headed in the right direction, there is no relief in sight. She needs to get into treatment, even if it means getting thrown in jail.


Diabetic Daughter

by: Sasha


First of all I’d like to say I’m sorry that you’re going thru this situation. I find marijuana to be a gate way drug. Its a scary and straining position that you are in!

I am not a religious person and I don’t know if you are either. But I find that praying really helps when I am going thru a bad point in my life. As long as you have faith and never give up…things will eventually work in your favor.

Have u tried an intervention? That’s another option for u. Right now its not your daughter that you see..its the drug. As long as u constantly remind her that u will always love her unconditionally and that u are not going to give up any time soon then maybe, just maybe she will come around.

In order for your daughter to take u and the situation seriously uhave to be very tough. Don’t give in no matter what. Its going to be hard, I know. But being a mother myself, I’d go to any length to help my child.

Tonight before I close my eyes to sleep, you and your family will be in my prayers. I wish u the best of luck and I hope u accept my few words of encouragement.


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