Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. It is characterized by recurrent seizures that can be debilitating and life-threatening. While there are many treatments available for epilepsy, some people have found relief in medicinal cannabis.

According to the UK-based charity Epilepsy Action, medical cannabis is legal in the UK and can be prescribed by specialist doctors to treat epilepsy ¹. The two most important chemicals in cannabis are cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). CBD does not have the mood-altering effects often associated with cannabis, and there has been a lot of research into its potential as an epilepsy treatment ¹. THC, on the other hand, is the part of the cannabis plant that makes people feel “high,” and more research is needed to find out if products containing THC are safe or effective for treating epilepsy ¹.

At the moment, there is one cannabis-based medicine that has been approved for treating epilepsy in the UK, called Epidyolex. It contains pure CBD and does not contain any THC. Epidyolex is available on the NHS as a treatment option for some people with epilepsy ¹. However, only some people with epilepsy are likely to be offered treatment with Epidyolex on the NHS. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations about what medicines doctors can prescribe on the NHS. NICE says that Epidyolex can be used as an add-on treatment option for people with Dravet syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, and Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) ¹.

While research is still ongoing, some studies have shown that medicinal cannabis can reduce the severity and frequency of seizures in some people, especially in children who have severe epilepsy syndromes such as Dravet and Lennox Gastaut Syndrome ². However, the American Academy of Neurology conducted a systematic review of the efficacy and safety of medical marijuana in selected neurological disorders and found that the use of oral cannabinoids are of unknown efficacy in epilepsy, that the risks and benefits of medical marijuana should be weighed carefully, and that the comparative effectiveness of medical marijuana versus already established therapies is unknown for epilepsy ³.

In conclusion, medicinal cannabis is a promising treatment option for epilepsy, but more research is needed to determine its efficacy and safety. If you or someone you know is considering medicinal cannabis as a treatment option, it is important to consult with a healthcare professional first.

¹: https://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/treatment/medical-cannabis-based-treatments ²: https://www.epilepsy.org.au/about-epilepsy/medicinal-cannabis/ ³: https://epilepsycentre.org.au/medicinal-cannabis-in-the-treatment-of-epilepsy/

Learn more:

1. epilepsy.org.uk2. epilepsy.org.au3. epilepsycentre.org.au4. epilepsy.com5. epilepsy.org.uk