CBD may offer epilepsy patients more benefits than previously thought

Despite years in the medical marijuana market, many still question the effectiveness of cannabidiol (CBD) in treating symptoms of physical and mental illnesses such as anxiety or epilepsy. but a new study published in the journal Epilepsy & Behavior points out that epilepsy patients who used an artisanal CBD-based product had a “higher quality of life, lower severity of psychiatric symptoms, and improved sleep” than those who did not.

The study shows that cost and accessibility were the driving factors in epilepsy patients who chose handcrafted CBD instead of Epidiolex CBD-based drug Already approved by the FDA in 2018 to treat two rare and severe forms of epilepsy that manifest in early childhood: Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome.

Unlike many CBD products sold online and in stores made from hemp-derived CBD, Epidiolex is made from cannabis and marks a shift in how the medical world sees the plant.

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“This approval is intended as a reminder that the advancement of solid development programs that properly evaluate the active ingredients in marijuana can lead to important medical therapies. And the FDA is committed to this kind of careful scientific research and drug development, ”said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD said in a press release.

RELATED: How CBD Brings a Better Future to Children with Epilepsy

The drug that the official website claims it has helped treat over 15,000 people, also lists a variety of side effects including “increased liver enzymes, drowsiness, decreased appetite, diarrhea, fever, vomiting, very tired and weak, rash, sleep problems and infections”. It’s also incredibly expensive at $ 32,500 per year at the time of publicationalthough most insurance plans, including Medicaid, are expected to cover the cost.

RELATED: You should reconsider using store-bought CBD to treat seizures

Despite the arguments that artisanal CBD is not as regulated or effective as the pharmaceutical alternative, there are additional indirect benefits. The study was carried out in collaboration with researchers from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and funded by the nonprofit cannabinoid therapy Realm of Caring, which is sponsored by companies that make CBD products. The users in the study showed, compared to the control group, a “significantly better tolerance of epilepsy drugs, the use of less prescription drugs overall and a lower use of the health care system”.

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While the authors clearly state that this observational study was not concerned with controlling seizures, it is promising evidence that CBD can benefit epilepsy patients and others in a variety of ways. Skeptics and deterrents point to the inconsistency and opacity of the CBD market to avoid artisanal CBD, but even participants whose products were unclear and with few product details reported higher wellness indicators.

CBD derived from cannabis remains a List 1 substance despite its lack of psychoactive properties and a growing list of health benefits limiting further discoveries that will improve the quality of life for thousands across the country. Studies like this illustrate just one of the many benefits of state legalization.