Is Medical Marijuana Safe For Children?
Once you have a child, you realize something very important:
It’s not about you anymore.
Now it’s all about them. Feeding them. Clothing them. Educating them. Loving them. Giving them everything they need to thrive in this world.
Their hopes are your hopes, and when they stumble, you stumble with them.
And if they get sick, you want the best treatment available for them.
Adults who suffer from illnesses like cancer and epilepsy qualify for medical marijuana treatment. But what about children?
Is medical marijuana safe for children to use?
Certain Medical Marijuana Treatments Don’t Get You “High”
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a compound found in the marijuana plant. It belongs to a class of chemical compounds known as cannabinoids, the most popular being tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
THC is responsible for the “high” feeling you get when you consume marijuana. CBD, on the other hand, is non-psychoactive. It won’t make you feel high, and it offers many medicinal benefits such as:
- pain relief
- anti-seizure
- anti-nausea
- anti-inflammation
CBD-Based Medicine Can Effectively Treat Epilepsy in Children
In a recent study, researchers found that a CBD-based compound reduced the frequency of seizures in children suffering from epilepsy by 39 percent.
- They chose 120 children and teenagers, ranging from ages 2 to 18.
- They gave the children a liquid-based form of CBD.
- Children averaging 12 seizures a month saw that number go down to 6 seizures a month. For 3 of the children, the seizures stopped altogether.
- Roughly 9 out of 10 children suffered from side effects including fatigue, fever and vomiting. Side effect intensity ranged from mild to moderate.
- 8 children had to stop taking the medication due to the side effects.
- According to this study, CBD-based medicines appear to be as safe as conventional anti-epilepsy medications, which have side effects as well.
- CBD-based treatments are available in states that have legalized medical marijuana.
Here’s a short video about one family who used CBD oil to treat their son’s seizures.
More Stories of Children Being Helped By Cannabis
Here’s a news story about a 7-year old girl with leukemia whose parents gave her medical cannabis to treat her nausea and pain from chemotherapy. At the time of the broadcast, the girl was in remission.
While Dr. Gupta affirms the healing potential of marijuana, he does make the point that if children under the age of 15 start using cannabis, and continue using it into adulthood, it could negatively impact their brain development. But anyone over 15 or past adolescennce should be relatively safe.
So…Is Medical Marijuana Safe For Children?
You can find plenty of anecotal evidence of children benefiting from medical marijuana, and the CBD study we mentioned at the beginning of the blog post is truly groundbreaking. Parents asking themselves, “Is medical marijuana safe for children?” have reason to be encouraged.
However, more research still needs to be done so that we understand the full impact of marijuana on children’s health – positive and negative.
Parents concerned about getting their children “high” should explore high-CBD / low-THC products.
As always, it’s important for parents or guardians to discuss this issue with a physician. All adults involved should weigh the risks versus the benefits, and act accordingly.
What You Need to Know About Becoming a Medical Marijuana Caregiver For Your Child
- In the state of Nevada, patients must be 18 or older to use medical marijuana on their own.
- If a patient under the age of 18 wishes to use medical marijuana, the medicine must be administered to them by an adult caregiver.
- Caregivers must be 18 or older, and they must either be a parent or a legal guardian. A patient is only allowed one caregiver.
- The potential caregiver must be a Nevada resident, get approval from a doctor, pass a background check, and agree to being a caregiver. In other words, they must go through a similar process that adult medical marijuana patients go through.
- Once the state approves the person for caregiver status, that person will receive a registration card, allowing them to purchase marijuana for the patient. The caregiver is also responsible for regulating the size and frequency of doses.
Are you thinking about treating your child with medical marijuana? Are you currently acting as a caregiver to a medical marijuana patient? We’d love to hear your experiences so that we can share them with others who might benefit. Please reach out to us on social media and tell us your story.
If you’d like to become a caregiver for a medical marijuana patient or you need more information, please give us a call at (702) 707-2414 or schedule an appointment with our doctor by clicking here. We look forward to hearing from you!
