Charlotte Figi suffered from Dravet syndrome, a rare disease that caused her to have over 300 seizures a week and display autism-like symptoms. After trying every other conventional medical treatment available, her neurologist decided to treat her with cannabis oil extracts, and the results were astounding.
Figi’s parents live in Colorado, luckily, and her treatments with cannabis oil extracts were legal. In addition to eliminating her autism-like symptoms, Figi drastically reduced her seizures with cannabis oil. After eight short months, 99% of her debilitating condition was completely gone.
So how can simple plant extracts eliminate seizures? The Figi family used a type of cannabis that had been cultivated to be extremely low in tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of the plant, but high in the molecule cannabidiol (CBD).
This strain was developed by the Stanley family who created a foundation that supplies marijuana to patients who really need it – the Realm of Caring has helped others like Charlotte. Some patients have even relocated to Colorado in order to treat their diseases with cannabis, earning them the moniker of ‘marijuana refugee.’
It was Figi’s case that made the public figure Dr. Sanjay Gupta reconsider his stance on marijuana legalization. Gupta admitted that marijuana could be used for multiple medical issues including pain relief, inflammation, and even to slow tumor growth.
Though many states passed laws to legalize based on stories like Figi’s, there is still widespread resistance to legalization. Is it because pharmaceutical companies want to cash in on marijuana’s healing properties?
Salisbury-based GW Pharmaceuticals’ is making progress in developing medicines from cannabis which it wants to market to the world. Other companies are doing the same.
Clinical trials using combinations of THC and CBD extracts for treating inflammatory bowel disease, brain cancer and diabetes are also underway.
Will we have to wait for Big Pharma to push for legalization so that they can charge through the nose for marijuana medicine or will the public be strong enough to get laws passed that will allow its use in natural form? Or will congress end the ban on medical marijuana?
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