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Study finds epilepsy patients who use cannabis may increase seizures
On Monday, researchers published a study in the journal Epilepsia linking frequent cannabis use to worsening seizures in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy.
The team examined medical records of 64 patients, comparing 22 frequent cannabis users, defined as consuming the drug at least 20 times a month, against 42 non-users.
Frequent users were significantly more likely to experience severe focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures at 90% compared to 57% for non-users, and required specialized care just five years after epilepsy onset.
Researchers suspect high-potency THC, rather than the CBD found in FDA-approved Epidiolex, may worsen symptoms, though the study is observational and cannot demonstrate clear causation.
Lead researcher Santiago Philibert-Rosas said clinicians should screen epilepsy patients for cannabis use, as future studies will objectively measure consumption to clarify these clinical risks.