Cannabis treatment teen Alex Renton ‘sparked national debate’

With 19 green balloons lifting off into the sky, the teenager who sparked a national debate about medicinal cannabis was “set free”. Alex Renton’s friends, family, old colleagues, school and rugby mates, and those who only knew of him through his family’s public battle, met in a Nelson rose garden to celebrate his life through a public memorial service.

Jupiter (inspirational) trine Pholus (ceremonial). Hylonome (bereavement work) square Logos (proclamation of affirmation) square Elatus (reciting affirmations, poetry).

The Nelson 19-year-old died on July 1 after being in Wellington Hospital for three months, sedated with a range of drugs to stop him having mysterious seizures.

His treatment included groundbreaking use of medicinal cannabis oil, Elixinol, after a campaign by mother Rose and family after conventional treatments did not work.

Family stayed by his side the three months he was there.

Alex’s service included hip-hop music, poems, stories and tears.

A keen rugby player, his rugby shirts were on display as well as photo boards people were encouraged to add to.

The Stoke Rugby Club did a haka in his honour.

Alex’s family planted an Alexander rose, with his twin brothers scattering some of his ashes.

After the service Rose said she felt Alex was “set free”.

“Having all his friends here to say thank you and farewell, that’s quite magical and I don’t feel as heavy as I thought I might.”

There were hundreds of people at the service, and Rose said many more had contacted her saying they were there in spirit.

Alex’s legacy was opening national debate on medicinal cannabis, she said.

“Medical cannabis for New Zealand, that is what it has ended up being about, that is his last message to New Zealand - to find out about it, educate yourself about it and stand up and be heard and make the change happen. Don’t wait.”

Rose read a poem to the service that Alex had read at her wedding, three days before he fell ill.

The poem urged people to be loving, kind and happy. Rose said it was “very much Alex”.

“Whatever he did, he did to the best of his abilities, he made people smile, Alex made people happy,” Rose said.

Alex’s older sister Jessie Renton also spoke of her best friend, who she stayed side-by-side with.

She said he was always wise beyond his years and had taught her and the family a lot through his illness.

“You never did something you did not want to do, no matter who was asking. You saw everyone in this world as equal and never passed judgement, we can all learn from that.

"Even from a coma you sparked national debates and conversations about medicinal cannabis.

"You have never ceased to amaze me with what is possible. You have left us with a legacy we can continue fighting for in honour of you, Alex. You were always going to change the world, I just didn’t realise the cost of that.”

Alex went to Nelson’s Nayland College last year, after attending Golden Bay High.

His friends from Nayland College, Justice Edmonds-Whale, Charm Williams and Luka Taulilo said he was a “one in a million” person.

Williams said he was “in tune, he had a very deep and trusting intuition, compelling, intelligent, wise….the full package really.”

They also said he took care of himself and was humble.

The three teenagers supported a push for medical cannabis and said Alex was leaving a “huge” legacy.

“It’s obviously impacted the nation, it’s made our town completely wild, it’s made Facebook go absolutely mad and that’s the best way to get things out there,” Williams said.

Alex’s former rugby coach from the Stoke Rugby Club, Laman Davies, said it was hard to believe Alex was gone.

He said Alex had a lot of potential but what the family had started with their campaign for medicinal cannabis was “bloody strong. The message has gone out through New Zealand even over the world.”

He had coached Alex for a year and said there was “never a dull moment” around him.

“He was the kind of kid to give it 100 per cent, he would always go hard.”

Alex Stead was a friend and teammate of Alex. He had spent time with him in hospital and was there when Alex received his first dose of Elixinol.

It was hard seeing him in hospital, but he believed the oil was working. He believed if Alex was allowed the treatment earlier he would have survived.

The certificate of cookery course Alex started at the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology this year supplied food for the service, serving some dips it had saved that Alex had made before he fell ill.

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Source: stuff.co.nz