Cash Hyde was a toddler from Missoula, Montana, who was diagnosed with a stage 4 brain tumor in May 2010, when he was about 20 months old, and whose father gave him cannabis oil during and after his cancer treatment. His case drew national coverage in 2011 and 2012 and became one of the best-known early stories in the debate over medical cannabis for children. Cash died at home in November 2012, at age 4.
The Weed Street Journal first posted a short video about Cash. The video no longer plays, so this page sets out what was reported at the time. It is a history of a public debate, not medical advice, and nothing here suggests that cannabis cures cancer.
What Happened
A CT scan at a Montana emergency room found a tumor surrounding Cash’s optic nerve in May 2010, ABC News reported in May 2011. Montana had no pediatric oncology center, so he was treated at Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, where he received high-dose chemotherapy. He suffered septic shock, a stroke and pulmonary hemorrhaging, and went 40 days without eating.
His father, Mike Hyde, held a Montana medical marijuana card. According to ABC, he gave Cash cannabis oil through his feeding tube without telling his doctors, because medical marijuana was illegal in Utah, where Cash was being treated. Hyde credited the oil with easing his son’s nausea and pain. Cash’s condition improved and he went home.
In October 2011 doctors found a second tumor. This time his parents gave him cannabis oil twice a day alongside his treatment, Mike Hyde told ABC News in March 2012. He said he got the oil in Montana and California and based the dose on adult amounts scaled to Cash’s weight. At that point no recurrence had been seen.
Why It Mattered
Cash’s story reached a national audience at a time when very few parents spoke publicly about giving cannabis to a child. Doctors quoted in the coverage were cautious. Dr. Linda Granowetter, chief of pediatric hematology and oncology at New York University, called the father’s choice “fascinating” but “somewhat bothersome,” and said it was “very troubling” that he did not feel able to be honest with the medical team. She noted that cannabis had not been studied in clinical trials in children. Dr. Donna Seger of Vanderbilt University said Cash “may be one of the fortunate few in which remission would have occurred no matter what treatment had been administered.”
Supporters saw Cash as proof that families needed legal access. Critics worried that his story would encourage parents to use untested products on sick children.
The case also unfolded during a turbulent period for Montana’s medical program. In 2011 the legislature tightened the 2004 voter-approved law after the number of cardholders jumped from about 2,000 in March 2009 to about 31,000 in May 2011. Vice later reported that the changes made it harder for Mike Hyde to get the oil steadily.
What Happened Next
Cash died at home in Missoula in mid-November 2012. His father wrote on Facebook, “Cancer will never hurt Cashy again and for that I am thankful,” as quoted at the time. The family set up the Cash Hyde Foundation to support children with cancer.
His story was later cited in Vice’s history of CBD as part of the wave of family stories that pushed cannabis medicine for children into public view. More early cases are in our cannabis news archive.
Where It Stands in 2026
Montana voters loosened the medical program with Initiative 182 in 2016 and legalized adult use with Initiative 190 in 2020. For current rules, including what applies to minors, see our Montana marijuana laws guide. What research says about cannabis and cancer is summarized in our cancer and marijuana studies page, and other state rules are on our cannabis laws by state page.
Cash Hyde FAQ
Who was Cash Hyde?
A boy from Missoula, Montana, diagnosed with a stage 4 brain tumor in 2010 at about 20 months old. His father gave him cannabis oil during his treatment, and his story drew national news coverage.
Did cannabis oil cure Cash Hyde’s cancer?
No. His family credited it with helping him, but doctors said his remission could not be attributed to cannabis. He died in November 2012.
How old was Cash Hyde when he died?
He was 4 years old.
Was it legal to give Cash cannabis oil?
His father held a Montana medical marijuana card, but Cash was first treated in Utah, where medical marijuana was illegal, and his father did not tell the doctors.
Originally reported by The Weed Street Journal; rewritten and updated in October 2026 with what happened next.
