Medical cannabis: Used to treat severe epilepsy. Picture: AP |
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parents are obtaining free cannabis tincture from home-based manufacturers in
the Eastern States after exhausting conventional treatment for their children's
severe epilepsy.
The main
psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol, is removed from the
serum so there is no "high".
Supporters
say it can cut the rate of seizures with minimal side effects.
Epilepsy
Association of WA chief executive Suresh Rajan said he could not endorse the
controversial treatment but there seemed to be a groundswell of interest among
WA families.
"Anecdotally,
there are more mums emailing and talking to me about the fact that they are
considering the issue," he said. "Parents are certainly researching
the issue for themselves on the internet and then bringing it to my attention
to almost seek endorsement."
Mr Rajan
said interest seemed to have been triggered by several high-profile cases
overseas, including that of six-year-old Charlotte Tigi, from Colorado, who
reportedly had a dramatic improvement in her epilepsy after using medical
cannabis.
Several
Perth women spoke to _The West Australian _, on the condition of anonymity,
after trying medical cannabis on their children. A mother of a five-year-old
girl said she had been taking the tincture for a week, alongside her normal
medication, and the results were promising.
"The
day after she started on it she had the best day at school and was able to do
all the activities," the woman said. "The teachers all commented on
how much better she seemed."
Another
woman said her young adult son was using the serum to see if it could help.
The medical
use of cannabis is not permitted in Australia except in special circumstances.
Royal Perth
Hospital neurologist John Dunne said there was some evidence that cannabinoid
preparations could have an anti-epileptic effect, but research was limited
because of the illegality of the products and inability to patent them.
In some
cases, the preparation could make the epilepsy worse.
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