Although strongly against the idea of medical marijuana at first, Debbie, faced with the real possibility of having her son institutionalized, found a new doctor who agreed to prescribe medical marijuana for Jeffrey. Forty-five minutes after eating part of a muffin with marijuana baked inside, Jeffrey said that he was "happy, not mad ... and my head doesn't feel noisy anymore." Jeffrey was now able to maintain control most of the time, and was capable of benefiting from psychological and behavioral counseling. "The positive effects of the marijuana on Jeffrey's behavior were too profound to be questioned," writes Debbie. It wasn't a cure, but it was still a miracle and a very surprising answer to their prayers. For almost two blessed years, Jeffrey was able to experience "normal" life, complete with going to school, living at home, and having friends. And then it all came to a grinding halt. In the fall of 2002, Wo/Men’s Alliance for Medical Marijuana (WAMM) in Santa Cruz, California the organization where Debbie Jeffries received medical marijuana aid for her son was closed down by the Federal Government.

Without medical marijuana, Jeffrey's violent rages quickly returned. Although the organization was reinstated by a judge's order, it had lost the specific strains that had helped Jeffrey. He was eventually sent to a therapeutic ranch in Utah for troubled youth. Jeffrey was taken off all medications and remains living there today.

"This is a remarkable account of one mother’'s love for her son and her courage to question conventional thinking in medicine and politics." Montel Williams, TV host & Medical Marijuana Advocate

"As we slowly emerge from our near delusional beliefs in marijuana's toxicity, we are also finally reawakening to its remarkable medicinal utilities... This compelling book tells of the heartwarming story of this family's discovery of one of those wonders." Lester Grinspoon, MD, Professor Emeritus Harvard Medical School

"I enthusiastically support Debbie and LaRayne Jeffries' decision to treat their son Jeffrey's condition with medical marijuana... This book should be required reading in every medical school." Claudia Jensen, MD, Pediatrics "'Jeffrey's Journey' is a compelling first-hand account of the successful use of medical marijuana to treat a serious behavioral disorder in a child. This engaging case report offers an honest look at conventional psychiatric medications and sheds new light on the untapped possibilities of cannabis as an alternative." Andrew Weil, MD, Harvard University, Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine & Founder and Director of Integrative Medicine Program at University of Arizona at Tucson. "This is a book that should be read by parents, healthcare practitioners and policy makers-each of whom wields enormous influence in the national debate about the legal use of medical marijuana and all of whom will find something captivating and persuasive in this family’s story." Joycelyn Elders, Former US Surgeon General "'Jeffrey's Journey' makes clear that the need to relieve a child's suffering must transcend policies. As teachers, parents and role-models, we have a responsibility to pursue honest, science-based information. This book demonstrates that it is necessary to broaden our perceptions of marijuana to include a continuum of acceptable applications." Marsha Rosenbaum, PhD, Director, The Safety First Project of the Drug Policy Alliance, San Francisco "This book is an absolute must-read. By the time I put it down (about three hours after I picked it up) I was angry and saddened. My heart ached for this little boy who just wants to be normal and breaks for his mother as she searches for something to help her precious son. I can only hope that if I was ever faced with this type of situation, I would find the courage Debbie shows throughout her battle." Cannabis Health Magazine staff review.

Debbie Jeffries & LaRayne Jeffries

Quick America, 128 pages $12.95 paperback