Marijuana Benefits

Epilepsy & Medical Marijuana

Epilepsy is a group of neurological diseases characterized by seizures. Epileptic seizures are episodes that vary from brief tremors to long periods of torturous, convulsive shaking . The mechanisms that cause Epilepsy are not fully understood, but it is well known that seizures come hand-in-hand with abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

“You're not an epileptic but you're an arsehole. I'm important. I matter. I can do anything. I'm a sexy, strong woman that happens to have Epilepsy. Do you get it? I have Epilepsy, but it's not who I am.”

--Ray Robinson, Electricity Woman

Medical Cannabis & Epilepsy

There is mounting scientific evidence that Cannabis and its constituent bioactive molecules called Cannabinoids, can reduce or even halt Epileptic seizures.

It is now known that the body's own natural Cannabinoid like molecules in the brain, play a key role in nerve activity and protect against acid-induced seizures. These basic research findings provide a mechanism of cause and effect for the indication of Cannabis and its derivatives in Elipepsy.

Research Breakthroughs - Marijuana & Epilepsy

Phytocannabinoids are naturally occurring molecules that can be isolated from the Cannabis plant. The wide variety of medicinal benefits of Cannabis have been well known for many centuries, or even millennia. Recent mature, medical research indicates that Cannabinoids have efficacy and afford a broad potential to treat many conditions and symptoms.

These "fat" soluble Cannabinoids, abundant in Medical Marijuana, act to modulate or activate signals of the entire nervous system through direct interaction with brain receptors. These same receptors are also activated by the body's own endocannabinoids, 2-arachidonoyl glycerol and anandamide.

Significant research efforts over the last decade have fundamentally advanced our understanding of how neurons communicate at the cellular level and what role Cannabis's fat-like molecules play. These basic advances helps us understand how natural and synthetic Cannabinoids may afford treatment of a variety of neurological disorders.

In the case of Epilepsy, basic scientific experiments have clearly shown that endogenous cannabinoids play a key role in signaling and regulation of neuronal excitability. In other words, a serious malfunction in the body's Cannabinoid metabolism must cause abnormal neurological function, as seen in most forms of Epilepsy.

Collectively, the research suggest the clear potential of Medical Marijuana to effectively treat Epilepsy; by fundamentally balancing the body's endocannabinoid signaling systems.