What science says about Cannabis For Epilepsy

Most medical experts believe that CBD is an effective treatment for epilepsy.  

One drug containing cannabis, Epidiolex, has even been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat epilepsy. However, scientists still face challenges determining the appropriate doses of other cannabis-based medicines for epilepsy. Although they agree on the dosing of Epidiolex, they are not one hundred percent certain about what side effects it has on different patients. 

Numerous scientific studies support the claim that cannabis oil can help treat epilepsy. Many individuals have also posted testimonials reporting how cannabis helped them treat their epilepsy and reduce the frequency of their seizures.

In the medical community, there are no strong objections to the use of cannabis to treat epilepsy. However, some experts raise some minor medical concerns about the specific dosages of cannabis for epilepsy. Other doctors are also concerned about the possible negative side effects of cannabis, such as addiction. 

Opinion in favor of taking CBD to treat epilepsy:

Supporters of cannabis use for epilepsy believe that the cannabinoids in the cannabis plant, especially cannabidiol (CBD), can affect the nerve cells in the brain and reduce seizures. While researchers are still studying cannabis’s exact mechanism of action, some studies support the claim that cannabis can treat epileptic seizures. 

For instance, a study titled “Cannabidiol in patients with seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial” showed that patients taking CBD witnessed a 43.9% reduction in seizures as opposed to patients from the placebo group who experienced only a 21.8% in seizure reduction.

Furthermore, cannabidiol (CBD) has been the most effective cannabinoid for reducing seizures. CBD is the non-psychoactive component of cannabis and does not produce a “high.” Therefore, it is considered a safe form of treatment, especially for young children with severe forms of epilepsy, such as Dravet Syndrome or Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome. 

In addition, many people have posted success stories all over the internet claiming that cannabis helped them significantly reduce the frequency of their seizures. 

Opinion against taking CBD to treat epilepsy:

There is no real opposition to the use of cannabis for epilepsy treatment, especially because a lot of research supports the medical benefits of cannabis use for epilepsy. 

However, some medical experts have questions about the dosing of cannabis to treat epilepsy. Although doctors have a rough idea of the doses for Dravet Syndrome and Lennox-Gestaut Syndrome, further research is needed on the dosing of cannabis to treat other types of epilepsy. Doctors are also concerned about the possible side effects of cannabis like addiction. 

Some opponents of cannabis use for epilepsy have reservations about using cannabis oil to treat the diseases because they do not know exactly how cannabis works to treat epilepsy. 

So far, studies have only used cannabis-based medications in combination with other seizure medications. Accordingly, some experts prefer to have more information about cannabis so they can understand all of its aspects before adopting it as a form of treatment for epilepsy.

Published: September 2020