Since marijuana became a legalized medicinal treatment option, it has gained the spotlight many times and silenced skeptics by providing subsided symptoms for serious medical conditions. One of the latest breakthroughs in science is medical marijuana’s ability to reduce seizures in patients with epilepsy and other seizure causing conditions.
Cases of positive results with medical marijuana in children and adults that deal with seizures on a daily basis are sprouting up all over the country. One miracle story to the next, medical marijuana continues to show very promising signs.
One story in particular was young Caden, who has been suffering from seizures since the day he was born. Caden suffered a large seizure at just 2 months old, resulting in loss of consciousness and frightening muscle contractions throughout his body. His mom, Kim stated that “He was seizing nonstop all day, every day.”
It has been 10 years since Caden was born and Kim and her husband Chris have tried everything, including over 17 different combinations of drugs, in attempt to stop Caden from seizing.
They hoped to at least control his seizures, if stopping them wasn’t possible. Some of the medications successfully reduced the number of seizures Caden had to endure, but his body would adjust to the medication and the seizures would always return, sometimes more violent than before. Of course, these medications came with side effects that drastically reduced Caden’s quality of life as well.
Caden began to suffer from a type of seizure known as drop seizures, where his body would fall to the ground when the seizure kicked in. This resulted in concerns that Caden would severly injure himself during one of these falls. He began to wear a permanent helmet and doctors were recommending brain surgery, a right frontal lobotomy to be exact.
Caden’s parents moved forward with the surgery but just weeks later, Caden had a stroke that damaged a previously unaffected portion of his brain. This was a whole new issue that the family was facing and Kim says “it was absolutely devastating.”
Chris told doctors that Kim and him had accepted Caden would most likely die from the seizures. However, Kim began to consider other options, one of which being medical marijuana. This was a heavy weighted decision with Chris being a veteran narcotics police officer.
Kim says she was overwhelmed to tell the truth: “Marijuana? To my 10-year-old?”
They went forward with the decision and immediately after beginning to use the marijuana, Caden’s seizures reduced by 85 to 90 percent.
Kim stated: “This treatment has changed everything. I’m getting to see my son and know my son for the first time.”
There’s a specific strain of marijuana called Charlotte’s Web that’s most effective at treating seizures and it’s the exact strain used for Caden. ER physician Dr. Travis Stork and Dr. Jim Sears, a pediatrician say that it’s a different strain than what you find at recreational marijuana stores. However, despite the differences, doctors say there is still skepticism and resistance in the medical industry.
Dr. Sears stated: “It’s almost like it’s a different compound than marijuana, because it doesn’t give you that high. I wish the medical establishments would start to recognize this particular thing is something different and maybe the FDA could change its classification so there wasn’t this taboo against it.”
Right now, marijuana, both medicinal and recreational remains illegal federally.
Kim and her son took drastic measures to continue using medical marijuana and opted to move to Colorado, one of the 24 states where it is legal.
Kim stated: “In the United States, our country, it now depends on your zip code as to whether or not your child can try this life-saving treatment or not, and I just feel like this should not be.”
Many other Americans have the same viewpoint as Kim and see medical marijuana as a viable treatment option for serious medical conditions. Time will tell if the federal government’s standpoint will change on marijuana. It has shown remarkable results in patients struggling with seizures and it continues to show progress in other areas a swell.
Dylan is a writer for Green Wellness and enjoys blogging about lifestyle changes, medical marijuana and its impact in healthcare and politics.
