Medicinal Mary Jane and Epileptic Fits

Yo, what up, it’s Dan. So check it, medicine ain’t always the go-to cure for everything anymore. Science has shown that sometimes, even prescription pills can’t heal chronic illnesses. They might help with the physical symptoms, but they don’t always fix the underlying condition. And sometimes, like with seizure medication, they straight up don’t work and can lead to some serious consequences.

That’s where marijuana comes into play, especially when it comes to epilepsy. You might be wondering what epilepsy is. It’s basically a nerve disorder that causes random convulsions. It affects different people in different ways, and can seriously disrupt someone’s life. People with epilepsy are even twenty times more likely to drown than someone without the disorder, even just while swimming!

Traditionally, antiepileptic drugs have been the go-to for treating epilepsy. But they come with their own set of problems – like sedation, slurred speech, memory problems, dizziness, irritability, and sleep disturbances. Plus, around 30% of people with epilepsy don’t respond to these medications at all.

That’s where medical marijuana comes in. Marijuana goes by a lot of names – weed, cannabis, you name it. The plant itself has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries. Cannabinoids are the active ingredients in marijuana that interact with cells in the body to produce some kind of effect.

CBD (cannabidiol) is one of those cannabinoids that doesn’t produce hallucinations or anything like that, but has been shown to help reduce seizures in some people with epilepsy. THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is another cannabinoid that does produce mind-altering effects.

Research on using CBD to treat epilepsy is still ongoing because of legal and financial constraints, but early studies have shown promise. CBD seems to interact with different parts of the brain than traditional medications do, and has anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties that could make it an effective treatment option.

Of course, like any medication or treatment option, medical marijuana isn’t perfect. It can cause side effects like fatigue, diarrhea, sleepiness, and increased appetite. But these side effects are generally considered mild and temporary.

If you or someone you know is interested in using medical marijuana to treat epilepsy or another condition, it’s important to talk to a knowledgeable professional who can guide you through the process safely and legally. The FDA is still calling for more research on this promising treatment option before it becomes widely available.

So there you have it – medicine ain’t always the answer anymore when it comes to chronic illnesses like epilepsy. Sometimes alternative treatments like medical marijuana can provide a safe and effective alternative for people who aren’t responding well to traditional medications or who are experiencing negative side effects from them.