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Gogglebox’s Steph and Dom Parker reveal heartbreaking struggle to help chronically ill son, 18, using cannabis

Steph and Dom

GOGGLEBOX'S Steph and Dom Parker have told of their heartbreaking struggle to help their chronically ill son, 18, using cannabis.

The reality star couple's son Max suffers from severe epilepsy and autism and can have over 100 seizures a day.

 Steph and Dom Parker with children Max, 18, and Honor, 15
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Steph and Dom Parker with children Max, 18, and Honor, 15

In Can Cannabis Save Our Son?, new documentary due to air next Monday on Channel 4, the couple explore their use of medicinal cannabis to help ease his symptoms.

Max has a Vagus Nerve Stimulation implant to help control the seizures and takes a cocktail of strong drugs every day. He is also autistic, with the mental age of a six year old.

Steph told The : "I want to make this clear straightaway, this is not a scientific documentary, it is a personal film.

"We just wanted to explore the issues, talk to people and collect anecdotal information."

 Max suffers from severe epilepsy and autism and can have over 100 seizures a day
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Max suffers from severe epilepsy and autism and can have over 100 seizures a day
Is cannabis oil illegal in the UK, is it different from concentrated CBD oil and can it be used to treat cancer?

The couple insist they are not giving their son "fun stuff" as Steph continued: "Are you going to give your child cannabis?' No, we are not!

"Medicinal cannabis is produced in laboratories and all the psychotics and hallucinogens, anything that some might regard as the fun stuff that gets you high, all that has been taken out. A bit like alcohol free lager."

Doctors are now able to prescribe cannabis oil to patients in a long-awaited change to regulations.

The legal low-concentrate CBD oil is said to be beneficial for treating a number of complaints as well as promoting sleep, boosting appetite and reducing anxiety, stress and depression.

 Steph and Dom have taken part in a new documentary exploring the benefits of using cannabis oil
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Steph and Dom have taken part in a new documentary exploring the benefits of using cannabis oilCredit: Channel 4

Steph and Dom have been turned into stars by the Channel 4 show and had chosen to keep their son's suffering out of the spotlight.

But when they are not filming for Gogglbox, they are always researching ways to improve Max's quality of life.

Steph adds: "That is what you do if you are the parent of a chronically ill child. You are not online at midnight shopping on Zara, you are online at midnight doing this kind of thing."

The couple have been married for nearly 20 years.

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They also have 15-year-old daughter Honor and run a successful B&B called The Salutation - which is based in Sandwich, Kent.

In a recent interview with the The Sun, Steph revealed Dom is her best friend.

Steph & Dom: Can Cannabis Save Our Son? is on Channel 4, 9pm next Monday, January 28.


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