‘Why Would Mickey Mouse Arrest Grandma?’: 70-Year-Old Sues Disney Over Seized CBD Oil

Article by David Yasvinski, Growth Op

A 70-year-old grandmother from North Carolina has filed a lawsuit against the Walt Disney Company after she was arrested and detained for 12 hours last year for bringing a small bottle of CBD oil to the Florida amusement park.

The magic wore off in a hurry for Hester Burkhalter and her family in April, 2009, when she was stopped by security at the gates to the park and asked to empty her purse, revealing the bottle of CBD, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

The lawsuit, which also names the Orange County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO), claims a deputy then tested the contents of the bottle for THC — the intoxicating component of cannabis — with the results coming back negative. A second test returned a positive result, which the complaint says resulted in Burkhalter being charged with possession of hashish, handcuffed and placed in an agency vehicle where she says she suffered a panic attack and vomited.

“It is entirely outrageous that Disney World would discriminate against people who have medical conditions that don’t respond to common pain relievers,” said Ben Crump — a prominent civil rights attorney who has also represented Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and George Floyd. Crump said a doctor had recommended CBD to Burkhalter to treat the symptoms of her advanced arthritis. The suit seeks up to US$12-million in damages from Disney World and the OCSO.

“It is disgraceful that the (Sheriff’s Office) would treat this cherished grandmother like a common criminal in front of her family,” Crump added. “To have her children ask, ‘Why would Mickey Mouse arrest grandma?’

Read the full article here.