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Another medical use for cannabis as scientists find it helps reduce seizures in people with severe epilepsy

  • In one child, the drug reduced seizures from 50 a day to three a month
  • There remains concern the drug can cause anxiety, schizophrenia and addiction when given to people who are epileptic

By
Emma Innes


Published:

04:22 EST, 22 May 2014

|
Updated:

08:15 EST, 22 May 2014

Cannabis could be used to help treat epilepsy, new research has revealed.

The potential of medical marijuana and pure cannabidiol – an active substance in the cannabis plant – for neurologic conditions is highly controversial.

However, U.S. research has now suggested the drug could help people with severe epilepsy.

Medical marijuana can reduce the number of seizures an epilepsy patient has, research suggests

A series of articles, published in the journal Epilepsia, examined the potential use of medical marijuana and pure cannabidiol (CBD) in treating the condition.

In a case study, Dr Edward Maa, Chief of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Programme at Denver Health, details one mother’s experience of providing medical marijuana to her child with Dravet syndrome – a severe form of epilepsy.

The treatment was given in conjunction with the child’s anti-epileptic drug course.

The report states that the child’s seizure frequency was reduced from 50 convulsions per day to two to three night-time convulsions per month.

Dr Maa said: ‘Colorado is “ground zero” of the medical marijuana debate.

‘As medical professionals it is important that we further the evidence of whether CBD in cannabis is an effective anti-epileptic therapy.’

In one child, the drug reduced the number of seizures they were having from 50 a day to two to three a month

Currently, 21 states in the U.S. and the District of Columbia (DC) have legalised cannabis for medical purposes.

And, another study in the series found that THC – the primary psychoactive substance – and CBD – the main non-psychoactive ingredient in cannabis – display anti-convulsive properties in animals.

Dr Orrin Devinsky, director of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Centre at New York University Langone Medical Centre, said: ‘While cannabis has been used to treat epilepsy for centuries, data from double-blind randomised, controlled trials of CBD or THC in epilepsy is lacking.

‘Randomised controlled studies of CBD in targeted epilepsy groups, such as patients with Dravet or Lennox-Gastaut syndromes, are in the planning stages.’

However, some research has suggested medical marijuana, when given to epilepsy patients, can cause anxiety, schizophrenia and addiction.

Dr Maria Roberta Cilio, Director of Research in Paediatric Epilepsy of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Centre in San Francisco, said: ‘There is a critical need for new therapies, especially for childhood-onset treatment-resistant epilepsies that impair quality of life and contribute to learning and behavioural disorders.

‘Rigorous investigation of the safety and efficacy of medical marijuana or individual components such as CBD are necessary for patients with epilepsy before any conclusion is made.’

Medical marijuana has also been used to treat people with MS, post-traumatic stress disorder and nerve pain as well as to reduce nausea and vomiting in people being given chemotherapy.

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Comments (55)

what you think

The comments below have not been moderated.

lyonedes,

northampton, United Kingdom,

moments ago

It seems crazy to ignore the beneficial qualities of cannabis,There needs to be a sensible compromise somewhere as regards the legalities.

Yolomcswaggins,

over the rainbow, United Kingdom,

6 minutes ago

And the DMs only just reporting this? Have you been hiding under a rock for the past 5 years DM?

Fred,

manchester,

28 minutes ago

Has the D.M sensed the wind of change and changed their view that all cannabis smokers will burn in hell?

jn2014,

brownsville TX, United States,

22 minutes ago

o

ray,

rayleigh,

31 minutes ago

Just watch Run From The Cure and Phoenix Tears on You Tube and you will see the wonderful results Cannabis Oil is having on nearly all types of Cancers …..it is not smoked but taken as Cannabis Oil.
Amazing results with it, we are now finding out why it is not being prescribed now….because it would cost the pharmaceutical companies billions of pounds in lost revenue as a lot of people, children included would be cured.

sneezy,

surrey,

14 minutes ago

yes i mentioned this last year or so, never would get a green arrow, maybe people are looking into it ,rather than believe everything they read in the media.. There are many cures out there, vitmain c for one, hence why the eu are trying to demonise vitamin supplements..

TheColonel,

ShawniganLake, Canada,

34 minutes ago

ow that the’scientists’ have said it the poeple who have been touting this specific property of marijuana for years are no longer idiot drug users

raj singh,

Leeds, United Kingdom,

36 minutes ago

It helps multiple sclerosis sufferers,

Tina-d,

Shropshire, United Kingdom,

43 minutes ago

Cannabis is a cure for lots of things, it’s the pharmaceutical companies that have the problem with it, I swapped anti-depressants because they were making me suicidal for cannabis, and guess what, I feel much better, I told my gp what I had done and his reply was “it’s the nicotine that will kill you” and the cannabis? He repeated “it’s the nicotine…..

jn2014,

brownsville TX, United States,

21 minutes ago

does GP stand for Gullible Prat?

unionjack82,

Stoke,

55 minutes ago

Canabis is less harmful than alcohol and tobacco.Also makes people more relaxed and less aching..

madmike1,

Bangkok,

55 minutes ago

Whilst I am totally against cannabis becoming “legal”, (in spite of the alcohol/tobacco argument.) I do believe
it should be readily available for genuine medical use in the same “controlled” way of other medicinal drugs
eg heroin and the like.

jn2014,

brownsville TX, United States,

50 minutes ago

o point arguing with these people, this article has been hijacked by stoners wanting to smoke weed everywhere like cigarretes.

BPM,

LondonTown,

12 minutes ago

it is hard to argue with people who know what they are talking about…

Red,

Manchester, United Kingdom,

56 minutes ago

They can’t monetize an easy to grow weed, therefore it is illegal, despite its numerous potential health and medical benefits. Rich companies will lobby government to keep it that way, and governments will use fear tactics to convince voters. The pharmaceutical companies will try to extract chemicals from it, maybe modify them a bit, and then patent them for certain therapies, for which they will charge extortionate amounts, when the plant itself would probably be safer.

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