Mich. mom charged for giving sons pot for medical reasons

CADILLAC, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan mother faces child abuse and other charges after authorities say she gave her 10- and 12-year-old sons marijuana for medical reasons.

The 31-year-old woman from the village of Mesick in the Lower Peninsula attended a pretrial conference Tuesday in 84th District Court in Cadillac. She's charged with delivery/manufacture of marijuana and two counts of third-degree child abuse.

The Associated Press isn't naming the woman to protect the identities of the children.

Wexford County Prosecutor Anthony Badovinac tells the Cadillac News the woman gave marijuana to the 10-year-old boy to help with emotional issues and to the 12-year-old to treat attention deficit disorder. Badovinac says the woman indicated she preferred that to prescribed pills.

Badovinac says police became involved after the woman told a Child Protective Services worker that she gave her children marijuana. The drug charge is punishable by up to four years in prison and the child-abuse charge carries up to two years in prison or five years of probation.

Michigan voters approved marijuana use for some chronic medical conditions in 2008.