Although we are only at the very beginning stages of understanding how cannabidiol (CBD) can benefit public health, the potential is significant: mitigating symptoms of chronic pain, anxiety, and insomnia are just several that come to mind. However, Daniel Fung of CT (Connecticut) and a leading extractor in the MMJ industry, says that some of the most promising research shows a clear link between CBD and epilepsy treatment.

Epilepsy is a condition that one in 26 Americans will suffer from at some point in their lives. Epilepsy is characterized by the onset of seizures but other health problems may manifest as well. Unfortunately, its effects are most pronounced in children as 34 percent of all childhood deaths are caused either by a seizure or by an accident that occurs during a seizure. Overall epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder overall.

We currently do not have a standard treatment protocol for epilepsy because every case is unique. Although it can be triggered by a brain injury or the result of family history, the cause will often be unknown. This makes treatment even more difficult. While some will find a cocktail of drugs that work or simply grow out of it, the truth is that others will have to deal with the lifelong recurrent threat.

CT’s Daniel Fung Wonders if CBD is an Answer for those who are Suffering with Epilepsy?

There have been numerous success stories that have shown how CBD has helped children and adult control their epilepsy symptoms. Although cannabis is a Schedule 1 drug, the DEA is beginning to loosen the reigns to study the plant for its medicinal effects. However, only a small portion of patients currently have excess to the clinical trials currently going on investigating CBD-rich cannabis.

From what we have seen so far, according to researchers, CBD has had a beneficial impact on some types of seizures, and researchers will see if patients may benefit from products that contain a combination of CBD/THC if they don’t respond to those with just CBD. As the endocannabinoid system, which affects nearly all of the body’s major systems including the nervous system, can be regulated by cannabinoids found in cannabis, Daniel Fung from CT says it makes sense that CBD may be a potential treatment solution for epilepsy and other chronic conditions.

There are increasing numbers of scientific studies that back up this theory, too. According to a July 2019 article from The Conversation.com, CBD-derived drugs may prove useful to the 30 percent of children who have not seen any success from traditional medicines. The article also notes that just under 500,000 U.S. children are dealing with epilepsy and increased tolerance of current treatments is a common occurrence, so the drive to develop a cure is indeed great. As with many current applications of CBD in everything from lotions to gummy worms, the exact benefits are hard to nail down. This trend continues for epilepsy treatment: “While the exact mechanism of action for CBD is unknown, it is thought to generally increase inhibition of brain cell activity to stop seizures,” the article states.

Even more encouraging is the fact that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Epidiolex to treat childhood epilepsy. To date, the FDA has either opted to not weigh in on the varied claims that CBD companies make or outright deny that this is indeed some sort of miracle drug. New studies into CBD and medical conditions are the only way to find new forms of treatment. MMJ industry extractor Daniel Fung, of CT, is hopeful that medical science will be used to spearhead both new uses of CBD and the elimination of illnesses.