Is Cannabidiol Risky or Beneficial?
By: Hannah halter
Would you feel comfortable giving loved ones cannabidiol? Let’s break it down and speak facts and opinions. Cannabidiol is a chemical found in marijuana or hemp seed. This topic is a very hot topic in the field of epilepsy and with parents of children that suffer from the birth defect. In this blog post, you will get full insight from negative stereotypes, neurological statistics, and my personal opinion from living with someone with epilepsy.
Stereotypes and Sideffects
Social stigmas of “Weed”. What are the stereotypes, why people may not like it, and how do medical professionals view this drug? “There are many unhelpful cannabis stereotypes pushed by politicians and media that prevent people from accessing this medicine.” -quoted by health Europa. Negative stereotypes created around weed (recreational perspectives)
https://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/marijuana/short-and-long-term-effects.html)
Poor school performance and a higher chance of dropping out
Impaired thinking and ability to learn and perform complex tasks
Lower life satisfaction
Addiction Potential development of opiate abuse
Relationship problems, intimate partner violence
Antisocial behavior including stealing money or lying
Financial difficulties
Increased welfare dependence
Greater chances of being unemployed or not getting good jobs.
Ending Social Stigmas of Weed
As you read through those stereotypes you may be thinking “WHAT?!” or “WHY WOULD I EVEN CONSIDER?”. These are similar reactions to many. Until you realize that these aren’t statistical or accurate to the medical strands used on epileptic patients. The more you research the more you will discover that when uses correctly and responsibly cannabidiol can have amazing results. According to Breaking the Stereotypes of Cannabis 74% of patients have said that marijuana has noticeably helped them sleep better. Another report states that the use of CBD has led to 82% of patients to lean or eliminate over the counter medication. That is HUGE considering the fact that many people with the condition suffer from awful side effects to medications.
Neurological Aspects
What does a neurologist think? Cannabidiol is the nonpsychoactive aspect of marijuana, meaning you cannot get “high or stoned”. CBD allows people to feel relaxed without intoxication. Tetrahydrocannabinol is the component that makes one feel high and does not provide as many benefits. “Strong evidence shows that cannabidiol positivity impacts one’s seizure levels” was stated in a reserch report from 2017 by the PMC. Advancements in cannabidiol can mean huge discoveries in potential cures for epilepsy. The first step to normalizing medical use of the drug is by learning. By stepping out of the mindset that associating the word “weed” or “cannabis” with negative stereotypes can slow down the development of studies.
My Story and Opinion
My opinion is that it should be used to help those suffering from epilepsy medically. Epilepsy affects my life in a way I never expected it to. Six years ago my little sister was diagnosed with epilepsy. Epilepsy is a condition that causes unexplained seizures. She was two years old when she had her first epileptic seizure and it forever changed my life. She has grand mal seizures. There have been days I would get calls from the school office telling me my sister is hospitalized. We have struggled to find medications that are effective for her. She has been flown out to hospitals by helicopters and was put on a ventilator. This of course was in April 2020 when covid was taking over making it impossible for me to see her. From that day on I have been so interested in neurology. If not given the circumstances I would not have learned the benefits of CBD and the potential it holds for finding a cure for epilepsy. After doing hours of study on CBD I have yet to come across a negative medical report on the use of this drug.
Conclusion
After reading this what do you think? Has your perception changed on CBD? In this blog post, you got a full insight from negative stereotypes, neurological statistics, and my personal opinion from living with someone with epilepsy.
Sources:
https://www.hellomd.com/articles/cbd-oil-breaking-the-stereotypes-of-cannabis
https://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/marijuana/short-and-long-term-effects.html
https://ministryofhemp.com/blog/cbd-in-the-brain/
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