Scientists Uncover Worrying Link Between Frequent Cannabis Use and Seizures

Key Points:

• A study by Washington University School of Medicine found that frequent cannabis use in people with treatment-resistant epilepsy is associated with more severe seizures and faster progression to severe epilepsy.
• Researchers analyzed 64 patients, noting that frequent cannabis users had a higher likelihood of severe focal to bilateral tonic–clonic seizures and required specialized care much sooner than non-users.
• The study is observational and cannot establish causation, but researchers suspect THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis, may worsen seizures by altering brain signaling and reducing the effectiveness of anti-seizure medications.
• Despite FDA-approved cannabidiol (CBD)-based treatments for epilepsy, rising THC levels in recreational cannabis might increase seizure risk, prompting calls for more research and caution among epilepsy patients regarding cannabis use.
• The research team plans a larger study with objective cannabis use measurements and advises epilepsy patients to discuss cannabis use with their doctors and consider alternative therapies for symptoms like pain or anxiety.