A desperate Perth mum is being forced to fly to the US to get treatment for her sick daughter, even though medicinal cannabis is legal in Western Australia.

Twelve-year-old Ava suffers from epilepsy, has had two brain surgeries, and without medicinal marijuana used to have up to eight seizures a day.

Her angry mother is so fed up with the difficulty in getting a prescription for her daughter that she plans to take her family to the US next month. 

12 year-old Ava Neville was born with epilepsy, and has had two brain surgeries for her seizures

It is so difficult for the Nevilles to get a prescription for Ava that they are forced to fly to the US

‘After speaking with the neurologist on Thursday, and finding out he was still completely confused by the process,’ said Ms Neville.

‘I left there pretty mad actually.’

The Neville family will have no choice but to stay in the US for as long as possible, until the problem is solved,Seven News reports.

Paul Mavor from Medical Cannabis Research Australia says that the ‘mountain of paperwork’ required makes the process too complicated, and that doctors are also having difficulties.

‘It takes a lot of time. No doctors are prepared to write something that the patient accesses months later,’ he said.

Before trying medicinal marijuana Ava would have up to eight severe epileptic seizures a day

Medicinal marijuana has been legalised in Western Australia but no one can get access to it

Paperwork and a time-consuming process are preventing doctors from writing prescriptions

The Neville family’s plight has caught the attention of Health Minister Roger Cook, who has asked the Health Department for advice.

Minister Cook also called on the suppliers of medicinal cannabis to do more to educate doctors on their products