Can I use medical cannabis to treat epilepsy?
An estimated 1.2% of the U.S. population has active epilepsy. This may be a relatively small percentage of the population, but being diagnosed with epilepsy can be disruptive and life-altering. The causes are varied and conventional treatments range from medication to surgery — and do not always achieve the desired result of “no seizures, no side effects.” But the possibility of using compounds found in medical cannabis (aka medical marijuana) to treat epilepsy is gaining traction in many circles.
“Patients with epilepsy who use medicinal marijuana report that the drug is very effective for their seizure control and mood disorders, according to research presented at the 67th Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society,” reports MDedge. Additionally, “All patients said that marijuana improved their seizure frequency and severity and had an effect on their mood disorder.”
The complex nature of cannabis’s plant structure means it acts on different disorders in different ways — and is often effective for different reasons. When it comes to epilepsy and seizure disorders, “the mother of all cannabinoids” seems to be the reason cannabis is an effective treatment. A study from the University of Sydney found, according to Science Daily, “that three acidic cannabinoids found in cannabis reduced seizures in a mouse model of Dravet syndrome, an intractable form of childhood epilepsy.”
These cannabinoid acids seem to have anticonvulsant properties — the impacts of which were known long before anyone knew what they were or how they worked. "From the early nineteenth century cannabis extracts were used in Western medicine to treat seizures but cannabis prohibition got in the way of advancing the science," Associate Professor Jonathon Arnold from the Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics and the Sydney Pharmacy School told Science Daily.
The verdict on medical cannabis for epilepsy
As the science advances, not only is cannabis becoming a legitimate option for the treatment of seizure disorders like epilepsy, but the reason why it is an effective medication seems to become clearer. This is critical, as even in states where medical cannabis is legal, it is often not available to children. As researchers learn more about cannabigerolic acid (CBGA), or the "mother of all cannabinoids," we get closer to having more viable treatment options for childhood seizures.
The aforementioned University of Sydney study was made possible in part by Barry and Joy Lambert who made a donation to advance scientific research on medicinal cannabis and cannabinoid therapeutics. The couple’s granddaughter was diagnosed with Dravet syndrome, for which conventional therapies often do not work. The Lamberts reported seeing a dramatic improvement in the girl’s condition after undergoing hemp oil treatments. As more research is done, it’s likely we’ll see even more evidence of cannabis’s effectiveness against seizures.
Recommended cannabis strains for epilepsy patients
We always recommend asking the professionals at your local dispensary for advice on which strains and products may help you specifically, but here are some of the strains recommended by Marijuana Doctor for the treatment of epilepsy.
See also:
Can I use medical cannabis to treat migraines?
Can I use medical cannabis to treat back depression?
