Is this all hocus-pocus, or is there a real scientific basis to it? Good question! As a doctor, I am naturally biased and all about the science! Here we go:
Short answer: research is not conclusive but there definitely does appear to be a positive benefit when it comes to pain and seizures.
Long answer: Most of the research out there supports the use of medicinal cannabis for seizures and pain. However, because medicinal cannabis is not a pharmaceutical drug, the research currently present is limited in terms of proving a clear benefit from using it. There certainly is research out there, and a lot of it, but conclusive statements need a lot of high quality evidence. To get technical, there needs to be some double-blind placebo controlled trials to prove that medicinal cannabis has therapeutic value. The evidence out there does suggest health benefits, but we can’t say for sure. If you are interested in the nitty-gritty details of what evidence is out there, we suggest you read this study. Given its natural origin and very good safety profile, we have found very promising results from our patients who are using it. There is no doubt in my mind that medicinal cannabis has a role to play in modern medicine.
