These Parents Gave Their Young Daughter Marijuana, And Here’s Why It’s Helping Her

Medical marijuana is now legal in 25 states and the District of Columbia, with more and more people recognizing the health benefits of cannabis each year.

Even as the movement grows, some still feel it’s inappropriate to treat children with the drug. CNN reports that, in Colorado’s medical marijuana program, the average patient is 42 years old, and there are only 39 patients in the program that are under 18.

Despite apprehension, there is evidence that in extreme cases cannabis can be useful to treat children.

Charlotte Figi, now 10 years old, has Dravet syndrome, a rare, severe form of epilepsy. At one point, she was experiencing 300 seizures per week like the one in this video.

Charlotte’s parents tried everything to relieve her of her seizures, but nothing worked. Then they saw a video online of a boy who had been treated with marijuana.

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Charlotte had lost the ability to eat, walk, and talk, so her family and doctors decided to try a marijuana oil with low THC and high CBC. THC causes psychoactivity (what makes people feel “high”), while CBC carries medicinal properties.

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And it worked! Charlotte’s seizures didn’t just become infrequent, they stopped completely. Here’s what Charlotte looks like today.

Facebook / Paige Figi

The strain of marijuana used to treat her is now called Charlotte’s Web. Her father, Matt, said, “I want to scream it from the rooftops. I want other people, other parents, to know that this is a viable option.”