A sufferer of Crohn's disease since 2002,[2] Banda stated that she illicitly used medical cannabis, which is illegal in Kansas, which eased her symptoms and allowed her to work and raise her son.
[3] In early 2015, her fifth-grade son advocated for the utility of medical cannabis during a drug education presentation at school, and admitted his mother's use.
The school contacted authorities, and on 24 March Banda was met outside her home by local police officers and child social workers who questioned her, and later returned with a warrant.
[7] In April 2015, a judge placed a gag order on the proceedings regarding custody of Banda's son, and any subsequent child in need of care (CINC) hearings.
At a 2015 hearing, a Garden City police detective testified that he had not sought parental permission prior to his 48-minute interview of Banda's son.
[3] Conservative radio pundit Glenn Beck criticized the "smugness" of the arresting officers, and questioned the utility of prosecuting cannabis offenses.