December 20, 2013

Cannabis Can Successfully Treat Epilepsy In Children, Says New Study

December 20, 2013
CBD Users Use Less Pain Pills

cannabidiol cbd cannabis marijuanaCourtesy of The Joint Blog

new study published in this month’s issue of the journal Epilepsy Behavior has found that many parents with epileptic children are turning to cannabis-based medicines to treat their seizures, and in a large majority of instances, it’s successful in doing so.

“Severe childhood epilepsies are characterized by frequent seizures, neurodevelopmental delays, and impaired quality of life. In these treatment-resistant epilepsies, families often seek alternative treatments”, begins the study’s abstract. “This survey explored the use of cannabidiol-enriched cannabis in children with treatment-resistant epilepsy.”

For the study, researchers at the Department of Neurology at Stanford University examined 19 parents who have epileptic children, and who use cannabis-based medicines (such as tinctures and oils) to treat their child’s seizures. The average number of antiepileptic drugs tried before using cannabis was 12.

Researchers found that; “Sixteen (84%) of the 19 parents reported a reduction in their child’s seizure frequency while taking cannabidiol-enriched cannabis. Of these, two (11%) reported complete seizure freedom, eight (42%) reported a greater than 80% reduction in seizure frequency, and six (32%) reported a 25-60% seizure reduction.”

In addition, they found that; “Other beneficial effects included increased alertness, better mood, and improved sleep.” The only reported side effects were “drowsiness and fatigue”.

With this data, researchers conclude that “parents are using cannabidiol-enriched cannabis as a treatment for their children with treatment-resistant epilepsy”.

Recently the U.S. Federal Drug Administration gave approval to several studies intending to test the effectiveness of cannabis-based medicines on the treat of epilepsy in children.

Source: TheJointBlog.Com

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