Is CBD a miracle medical marijuana-based treatment?
It was a little girl named Charlotte who started the CBD ball rolling – an event that captivated worldwide public attention and catapulted CBD into the forefront of modern medicine.
An event so momentous that Charlotte was described as “the girl who is changing medical marijuana laws across America” – an event so momentous that she had a cannabis strain known as Charlotte’s Web named after her.
Today, 12 years on, CBD is being heralded globally for its impact as a non-intrusive medicine with the power to stop pain dead in its tracks without any of the addictive side-effects found in prescription drugs.
Charlotte Figi was five years old when her parents turned to marijuana in a desperate effort to ease their child’s uncontrollable epileptic seizures caused by a condition known as Dravet’s Syndrome. The results were astonishing and, for the first time after suffering 300 seizures a week, Charlotte could lead a normal life.
Media attention increased public demand for Charlotte’s Web or other marijuana products with a high CBD content. Originally labeled Hippie’s Disappointment because Charlotte’s Web does not trigger a high, more and more people turned to this cannabis product to treat children suffering from epilepsy.
Charlotte’s Web has a highcannabidiol (CBD) content and is low on tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the compound that produces the psychoactive high. Charlotte’s Web contains less than 0.3% THC.
Oh, what a tangled web we weave
But despite increasing public support, reinforced by scientific research, in May a federal court thwarted an attempt to shield CBD from federal law enforcement.
It’s no wonder that the public becomes confused about what is and what isn’t legal because there always seems to be opposing decisions made at government level.
Nothing can better illustrate this than the fact that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)is on the brink of approving a synthetic CBD epilepsy product named Epidiolex for the treatment of severe seizure disorders in children. According to an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine,Epidiolex is capable of reducing seizures by more than 40%.
What is CBD?
CBS is non-psychoactive and there are no recorded deaths associated with overdosing.
It is being used in the treatment of a wide range of medical conditions. Apart from seizures, CBD is administered to patients suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease, pain, heart and inflammatory disorders, among others.
GW Pharmaceuticals, the UK company that developed Epidiolex, is now studying CBD to treat autism, schizophrenia and glioblastoma which is an aggressive brain tumor. It currently has a drug named Sativex on the market in Australia, Canada, Europe and Latin America, that is administered to Multiple Sclerosis sufferers. Sativex contains both CBD and THC.
CBD products have taken the world by storm and you can even enjoy a glass of fresh juice infused with CBD at an upmarket LA juice shop for an additional $3.50. From edibles to vape pens, CBD has captured the imagination of the health-conscious public.
Takeaways
The federal court ruling was a blow to cannabis advocates who point to the fact that evidence exists which proves CBD to be safe, with many important medical uses such as the treatment of arthritis, depression and diabetes.
However, despite government rulings, CBD is highly accessible as an over-the-counter purchase at legal marijuana dispensaries.
After Charlotte’s story became public knowledge, literally hundreds of families with children suffering from epileptic seizures relocated to Colorado where the young girl had received her treatment. Families who could not relocate obtained CBD supplies from black market distributors.
It is interesting to note that when Charlotte’s miracle treatment results were aired on the documentary, Weed, GW Pharmaceuticals’ stock has risen by an astounding 1,500%, adding credence to the belief that CBD is here to stay and that marijuana still has many attributes to deliver to the world of medicine.