The majority of epilepsy patients in the United States are juveniles; specifically children who are still learning basic life skills like how to communicate with others or how to dress themselves.  Having epilepsy as a child can prove to be a huge strain physically; having numerous seizures daily can impair the developmental process.

Many common anti-epilepsy medications have side effects. For example. certain medications may cause excessive sleepiness, which hinders a child’s ability to learn. Due to side effects like this, parents tend to seek alternative treatments that control the seizures better.  One such alternative is medical marijuana, which undoubtedly raises controversy. Although there has not been much research done on the use of marijuana on epilepsy, some parents are very convinced of its effectiveness in reducing seizures. In extreme cases, some parents even moved across the states to Colorado, where the use of medical marijuana has been approved.  

Lately, medical marijuana has been gaining public approval, which is evident in its legalization in twenty-two states. Despite a few potential negative consequences, some parents think that the decrease in seizures outweighs the side effects of marijuana. In addition, marijuana advocates strongly support the use of marijuana to treat epilepsy. However, they feel that the Federal Food and Drug Administration has slowed down research necessary to prove the validity of marijuana’s medical benefits.

Though marijuana oil extracts tend to be a great aid in controlling seizures, some doctors claim that there is not enough evidence showing marijuana’s effectiveness in curing an illness. However, it’s important to note that marijuana does have negative effects. For example, marijuana can negatively affect the brain by harming the memory, judgment, and motor control of the individual who is using the drug. Potential negative consequences caused by marijuana are limitless and unpredictable; so it’s possible that the parents might be just doing more harm than good to their children’s health.

Many parents of epilepsy patients claim that marijuana has a positive impact in their children’s seizures, but rigorous clinical trials should still be conducted to validate its results and safety. Clinical trials can provide useful information such as the proper dosage and potential side effects of using marijuana to treat epilepsy. As Dr. Sharon Levy of Boston Children’s Hospital warned, “using state laws to sidestep federal medical regulations is bad public policy”. The medical benefits and the negative side effects of marijuana oil extract should be heavily researched before it is used to treat children, although I do think that the process should be carried out more timely manner since many patients are desperately waiting for a potential cure.

References:

McCoppin, Robert, & Eldeib, Duaa. 24 February 2014. Parents pushing to get marijuana extract for kids with epilepsy. The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved from http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-02-24/news/ct-medical-marijuana-for-kids-ct-20140224_1_medical-marijuana-marijuana-abuse-medicinal-pot