In 2018, people with medical conditions don’t have to rely on the unnatural options of the pharmaceutical industry for treatment. In fact, 29 states have already passed medical cannabis laws.
For epileptic patients, cannabis is a miracle remedy. While the general public is already aware that many medical cannabis laws were specifically passed with these seizure patients in mind, not everyone knows how many different kinds of seizure conditions there are.
The seizure patients who will be especially happy about a recent breakthrough in the medical cannabis community are those with treatment-resistant epilepsy.
Check out these new medical discoveries and find out how medical cannabis can help you.
Overcoming Resistancy
Anyone with treatment-resistant epilepsy knows how frustrating, and frightening, it is to not be about to find an effective treatment. Medical cannabis researchers know this too, and they’ve found a solution for many.
Unfortunately, these types of epilepsy are present in 30% of seizure patients. Without an adequate medication to control seizures, patients increase their risk of brain damage, injury during episodes, and even sudden death.
Thankfully, medical cannabis researchers have been focusing on helping these patients. One study found that 43% of patients with Dravet syndrome receiving a specific CBD treatment had their episodes reduced by at least 50%.
In the same study, 45% of treatment-resistant epileptics experienced a reduction in their episodes after CBD treatment. These results show that this treatment helps many different types of epileptic conditions.
Lowering Mortality Rate
Patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy have a high mortality rate. Those with Dravet syndrome are especially vulnerable to dying from their disease.
The frequency of epileptic episodes increases the chance of death in seizure patients. That means that decreasing the rate of seizures decreases the mortality rate.
Thanks to the advancements in medical cannabis, this concern doesn’t need to as serious as it was before. That’s because these studies show that CBD works. One of the head neurologists in the study, Dr. Orrin Devinsky, stated that his study provides “solid, rigorous scientific evidence that in this specific syndrome, cannabidiol is effective at reducing seizures.”
A Blended Approach
In another study, they found similar results. Three doctors combined research from three states to find that medical cannabis is an impressive treatment for epilepsy.
Dr. Dustin Sulak, Dr. Russel Saneto, and Dr. Bonni Goldstein reviewed epilepsy cases from California, Washington, and Maine for their research on the therapeutic possibilities of medical cannabis. This study is more expansive too, including 272 seizure patients.
One thing to note from this study, however, is that they do not advise relying on just one cannabinoid compound to treat seizure patients. While the other study focuses on CBD, this one acknowledges that, sometimes, THCA is more effective than THC or CBD. It depends on the patient.
These researchers hope that doctors will have access to a wide range of cannabinoids in clinical practice, rather than just CBD. Unfortunately, the pharmaceutical industry seems to focus on singular compounds. Hopefully, that practice will change in the future.
Testing Difficulties
While researchers are certain that medical cannabis can vastly improve the quality of life for many seizure patients, it’s not easy to determine exactly what each patient needs.
With medical cannabis, a higher dosage does not mean higher efficacy. In fact, dosage reduction can be just as effective. This means that determining how much cannabinoid content to deliver an epileptic patient is delicate.
As previously stated, doctors also need access to a wide range of cannabinoid compounds. It can be difficult to determine the best treatment method without access to the right resources. It’s not only the patients who may struggle to acquire their treatment, but the doctors as well.
Some Concerns
This expanded study also presented some other challenges for using medical cannabis to treat epilepsy. These concerns include:
Access to Treatment
While state and federal laws have an obvious effect on a patient’s ability to secure cannabis treatment, so too do economic factors.
The artisanal cannabis industry is not cheap. High dosages are often unaffordable for most patients. This is a concern for researchers who are evaluating CBD as a necessary treatment for a deadly condition.
Additionally, patients can experience rebound seizures if their body is suddenly deprived of routine treatment. This is a dangerous side effect of medical cannabis usage, though the side effect is not due to the drug itself.
The Placebo Effect
While researchers can firmly control the placebo effect in objective studies, that’s not the case for subjective reports. In this study, the authors shared, “The efficacy of artisanal cannabis can be strongly influenced by the placebo effect, especially in patients that have invested significant resources into securing access to these formulas.”
This is a cause for concern because it can undermine the legitimacy of the objective studies that help push forward medical cannabis legislation throughout the United States.
Quality Control
Finally, the authors of the study are concerned about the state of quality control in an industry that is not yet heavily regulated.
When they tested edible products in three major West Coast cities, they found that only 17% were accurately labeled. That means that most cannabis products actually have more or less cannabinoid content that they claim to have.
If the pharmaceutical industry is focusing solely on CBD products, while the artisanal industry struggles with quality control, it will be very difficult for a doctor and their patient to find the right treatment plan.
As it stands, the pharmaceutical industry has what the artisanal industry needs, while the artisanal industry has what the pharmaceutical industry needs. For medical cannabis to be at its most effective for seizure patients, these two industries need to find a balance.
Medical Cannabis for Seizure Patients
If you’re looking for information about the medical benefits of cannabis, check out the Quantum 9 blog page.
At Quantum 9, we provide international cannabis consulting for clients seeking help with permit acquisition, staff augmentation, or employee training. We also connect patients, investors, entrepreneurs, and employees with the resources they need.
If you’re seeking cannabis-related resources, don’t hesitate to contact us for assistance.
- Testing