Cannabis use can provide symptom relief for a variety of physical and mental health issues, including headaches, anxiety, and depression. Research also indicates that cannabis can be an effective treatment for symptoms associated with epilepsy.
What is epilepsy?
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website states that there are approximately three million adults and nearly half a million children living with some form of active epilepsy. People with epilepsy experience episodes of abnormal brain activity that leads to seizures. Some people find relief from anti-epileptic medications, while up to one-third find these medications ineffective. Fortunately, medical marijuana may be a viable alternative to traditional forms of treatment for epilepsy.
How can medical marijuana treat epilepsy?
Medical cannabis has been explored as a potential treatment for individuals with refractory epilepsy. Currently, there is an FDA-approved cannabis-derived medicine for the treatment of two types of epilepsy: Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.
Recent studies show promise
Studies regarding the efficacy of cannabis in treating epilepsy symptoms have been ongoing for a number of years. A recent study found that the cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) appears to be helpful in addressing epileptic seizures in children. The study concluded that children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and dissociative seizures experienced a significant reduction in the frequency of their seizures when given a treatment of oral CBD, compared to those taking a placebo. Approximately 40 percent of those taking CBD had their seizure frequency reduced by 50 percent or more.1
Another study explored the effects of CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) cannabis oil on epilepsy patients and found a similar drop in seizure frequency (an average of 70 percent over a 20-week study). In both studies, participants did experience some negative adverse effects including fatigue, anorexia, and diarrhea, but the research could offer a basis for future usage guidelines.2
Understanding cannabinoids
Cannabinoids are compounds found in cannabis that are deemed medically useful. The two primary cannabinoids are THC and cannabidiol or CBD. When looking at marijuana and epilepsy, CBD is the preferred option since it is not psychoactive and doesn’t produce a “high” associated with THC.
The research surrounding CBD to treat epilepsy is promising at this point. If you or someone you love suffers from epileptic seizures and you’d like more information regarding medical marijuana, please reach out to Emerald Health Advocates for a consultation.
