Epilepsy – Grow Weed Easy

When it comes to cannabis, there are thousands of varieties with a wide spectrum of possible effects. While some of these effects are more “medical” than others, a strain that offers relief to one patient could make symptoms worse for another patient (and vice versa). Therefore, what you should focus on is finding a strain that offers relief for the specific symptoms you’re suffering from. It also usually takes some trial and error to figure out what works best for you and your body.

Is this “medical” marijuana? The answer may surprise you. It depends on your symptoms and how your body reacts!

There are so many cannabis strains that it’s impossible to neatly categorize them all. People often discuss the differences between “indica” and “sativa” strains when it comes to medical marijuana, but nearly every strain of cannabis is a hybrid.

To add another layer of complexity, we’re still learning how different compounds in cannabis affect humans. Recently, researchers in Italy discovered THCP, a powerful new cannabinoid that we didn’t know existed. There’s evidence that other cannabis derivatives such as terpenes and cannabis flavonoids may be responsible for some of the medical effects of cannabis, but we don’t fully understand how everything works together. Until there’s more objective research, a lot of medical marijuana patients must experiment to figure out which strains work best. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to predict.

What should you do?

Instead of focusing on whether a strain is indica or sativa, or some other aspect like how it looks/smells, it’s often more useful to choose genetics based on the known effects and reviews from other patients.

Does medical marijuana get you “messed up?”

While many strains of cannabis have strong mental effects, some varieties are completely non-psychoactive. Non-psychoactive varieties of cannabis won’t affect your thinking much (if at all). Non-psychoactive varieties of cannabis are usually high in CBD with almost no THC. These low-THC strains are popular for the relief of anxiety, insomnia, and seizures.

Some cannabis strains affect your thinking, while others do not

However, many patients do use high-THC varieties of cannabis for the relief of certain symptoms such as pain and nausea. High-THC strains will get you “high” alongside any symptom relief.

What are the medical marijuana laws in your US state?

What Diseases Can Medical Marijuana Cure?

It is really really important to get out there that cannabis has not been proven to “cure” anything. Despite how much I love this plant and personally benefit from its properties, there is no credible scientific evidence that cannabis is some sort of cure-all.

That’s not to say that medical marijuana/cannabis is without relieving properties. In fact, cannabis is so reliable at giving relief to those in need that it’s been available for medical use in California for almost 20 years. As of 2020, there are several countries as well as over 30 states in the USA with some form of legislation to allow cannabis for those in need.

However, there are unfortunately many people willing to offer false hope to very sick people by saying that cannabis can cure their cancer, MS, PTSD, or epilepsy. When someone says that cannabis can “cure” something, their comments should be taken with a healthy dose of skepticism unless you’re given solid evidence that legitimizes their claim. Again, as of yet, there is no proof that marijuana “cures” anything in that it’s never been proven to completely eliminate a disease or condition.

The evidence that medical marijuana “cures” any condition is not conclusive

I’m not saying that medical marijuana doesn’t cure anything, just that we don’t currently have concrete evidence that it does. And when it comes to evaluating your possible medical options, I believe you must look at the evidence, and not go by word of mouth from people who are not medical practitioners.

Unfortunately, despite what you may have heard, there is no credible evidence that marijuana “cures” anything (though research is ongoing). What marijuana has actually been shown to do is offer relief from specific symptoms.

There is a lot of substantive evidence that some people are experiencing relief from cannabis for various symptoms, and that’s the focus of this article.

Which Strains Work for Which Symptoms?

I can give you some general guidelines (find them below) to help you get started, but there are no absolutes when it comes to the effects of different strains. Not only do strains have different effects if they’re grown under different conditions, the same buds also affect people differently.

A strain that aggravates anxiety for one person could reduce pain or nausea for a different patient. Buds that prevent one person from having seizures could actually trigger seizures for someone else.

This huge spectrum of effects is part of why we need to legally reschedule cannabis as a whole plant, so we can start to tease apart the specific components of cannabis that cause each specific effect. Like how we do with any other medicine.

Currently, patients in the medical marijuana scene must use iffy information combined with personal trial and error. There is no current database or other good way for medical marijuana providers and patients to share their experiences with each other. Because cannabis is illegal on a federal level in the US, there is very little reputable research that can be conducted on a large scale without the worry of legal trouble.

Example of medical marijuana from a California dispensary. You often don’t get much information about what you’re buying!

This is part of why it can be so much better to grow your own medical marijuana at home. You get to choose exactly what you want!

However, because of all the misinformation out there, when it comes to finding relief with medical marijuana it’s important to be realistic and manage expectations. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Now let’s share what we do know about medical marijuana, including what makes it effective for some patients and not-so-effective for others.

What We Know About Cannabinoids

There are different components found in cannabis which cause different effects. Although some substances such as terpenes (aromatics/smells) have been shown to alter the mental and physical effects of buds, it is the cannabinoids found in cannabis flowers that are the subject of the most research and interest. Cannabinoids work on natural receptors in our brain, causing the majority of effects attributed to cannabis.

Here’s a very short list of common cannabis cannabinoids (say that three times fast!) that have medical interest for researchers and patients. There are dozens more, but these are the ones we know the most about.

THC vs CBD vs CBN

THC – responsible for many of the mental, anti-nausea, and possibly pain-relieving effects
CBD – great promise for the relief of anxiety, seizures, insomnia, and many other conditions
CBN – CBN levels rise as buds are allowed to go longer before harvest. It has a relaxing or body effect and is less psychoactive than THC.
Other Cannabinoids – There are dozens, even hundreds of cannabinoids that can be found in various strains of cannabis or hemp. Most of these are not well studied or may not even be officially identified yet!
Learn more about THC vs CBD vs CBN

Popular Conditions That May Get Relief From Medical Marijuana

Pain, Spasms, Nausea & Lack of Appetite – Often treated with high-THC strains. Results vary widely from patient to patient so it’s best to gauge results on a strain-by-strain basis.
Symptoms from Cancer Treatment – Many cancer patients have reported that cannabis gives them relief from the symptoms of chemotherapy. However, there is no concrete evidence that cannabis can cure cancer in humans. Please talk to your oncologist if you plan on using cannabis in conjunction with cancer treatment! Oncologists are some of the most sympathetic doctors when it comes to cannabis use.
Seizures / Epilepsy / Dravet Syndrome – I’m most familiar with these conditions because I have epilepsy as well as a niece with Dravet Syndrome. It’s insane how much incorrect information I see thrown around about medical marijuana when it comes to seizures. The truth is, some epilepsy patients report a reduction of symptoms when using high-CBD strains. Most of these patients are using medical marijuana in addition to their other prescriptions, not as a replacement. However, higher levels of THC can actually trigger seizures for some patients, and most strains available today are high-THC and low-CBD. That means that most types of cannabis have the potential to make seizure symptoms worse! Therefore it’s incredibly important for people suffering from seizures to know what they’re getting, and also to work closely with a neurologist when making any changes to their medication. I personally use both high-CBD and high-THC strains, but I continue to take my prescription as well. Learn more about seizures and the effects of medical cannabis.
Anxiety or Insomnia – Anxiety and sleeplessness are often addressed with high-CBD and medium-to-low-THC. For some people, high levels of THC can make anxiety worse, especially if trying cannabis in a new or unusual situation or when ingesting more than they’re used to. However, some patients get the most relief from high-THC strains. Note: Buds that are harvested too early or not dried and cured properly are more likely to cause anxiety, sleeplessness, and headaches for some people. Learn more about finding relief from anxiety with medical marijuana.

Mullaways Medical Cannabis’ medical crop, used for cannabinoid research in Australia

Vaping & Edibles for Medical Marijuana

When it comes to medical marijuana, smoking isn’t the best option as it can irritate lungs and there’s a lot of evidence smoking isn’t good for you!

However, vaping (vaporizing your weed instead of burning it) or eating edibles (cannabis in edible form) are considered the “gold standard” way to take advantage of medical marijuana.

Learn more about vaporizing cannabis

My Favorite Edible Resources

Decarboxylation: How to Decarb Your Weed (crucial step for just about every edible recipe)
Best Weed Butter Recipe
Canna Caps for Easy Dosing
How to Make Hash Oil / Rick Simpson Oil (RSO)
How to Make Cannabis Tinctures

What’s the Difference Between “Hemp” and Weed?

Many people think of “hemp” as being a specific strain. Sort of like how there is “Sour Diesel” and “White Widow”. Others think hemp is closely related to cannabis but is a fundamentally different species of plant. Like peaches and plums.

Neither of those is true.

Hemp and cannabis are the same species of plant. So what exactly is hemp? Any strain of cannabis/marijuana that contains less than 0.3% THC (in the USA) is legally considered to be hemp. It’s not a strain, it’s a categorization. It’s like how there are many varieties of red roses. “Red” is a categorization, not the name of a specific variety of roses. Some countries have different upper legal limits for hemp such 0.2% and 0.5% THC, but the idea is the same.

Learn more about hemp laws in the USA on the FDA government website.

Is this hemp? It depends on whether a lab measures over or under 0.3% THC.

Let’s say I purchase “hemp” seeds and grow them out. Any plants that tests below 0.3% THC by dry weight is legally considered hemp. However, if one plant gets tested and is measured at 0.31% THC (on any part of the plant), that means it’s not legally hemp anymore. Even though it came from hemp seeds, and even though all the other plants from the same parents were legally hemp, this plant would be considered a narcotic because the THC percentage is over the legal limit.

Hemp is a category of cannabis, not a specific strain!

A major advantage of growing hemp over other types of cannabis is that it’s legal on the federal level in most parts of the world. While there is a lot of legal gray area surrounding high-THC cannabis, hemp farmers are rarely prosecuted in most places.

Because of the strict THC limitations, a huge part of the hemp industry is checking that plants stay under 0.3% THC (or whatever the local legal limit). Many hemp growers regularly test plants throughout the growing process so they can quickly toss any plants that test over the limit.

If you ever would like to grow hemp because it’s federally legal, it’s recommended you buy hemp seeds from a specialist to help ensure your plants don’t go over the THC limit. There are many strains of hemp that are rich in terpenes and cannabinoids, making them a great choice for people who want the greatest medical effects without any THC. If you do buy hemp seeds for personal use, make sure to get hemp seeds that were bred to have big fragrant high-CBD flowers, as opposed to strains of industrial hemp that are made to grow thick woody stalks and tend to grow small flowers that are not as medically useful.

It’s best to buy hemp seeds from a specialist

There are strains of cannabis that are extremely low in THC but don’t come with a THC guarantee. When a plant contains less than 1% THC, it may not legally be considered hemp but you likely won’t feel the effects of THC.

These strains are not legally hemp, but are extremely low in THC and won’t get you “high”:

Doctor Seedsman CBD 30:1 Feminised Seeds (<1% THC, 20% CBD)
Dinamed CBD Plus Feminised Seeds (<1% THC, 15-20% CBD)
Pink Kush 30:1 Auto-Flowering Seeds (0.5% THC, 17% CBD) – Learn more about autoflowering strains

Is Growing High-CBD Cannabis Different from Growing High-THC Strains?

How Long After I Switch to Medical Marijuana Can I Stop Taking My Prescription?

There are likely some people who may be able to stop taking their prescriptions and manage their symptoms purely with medical marijuana. These patients are featured in stories and articles about medical marijuana so it might give the impression that they are the majority.

But the truth is, in all my years speaking with various medical marijuana patients, I haven’t spoken to a single patient who was able to completely replace all of their prescription medications with medical marijuana. Several have been able to lower their dependency or dosage, but the patients I’ve talked to almost always use marijuana in addition to the prescription medication that they’ve been prescribed by their doctor.

Most Patients Use Cannabis in Addition to Their Prescription Medications, Not as a Replacement

This doesn’t mean that cannabis won’t be effective at improving the quality of life for someone suffering from any one of a number of conditions. However, anyone trying cannabis for medicinal reasons should be aware that if you’re already taking medicine for a condition, cannabis will likely help you the most in conjunction with prescribed medication as opposed to replacing it.

Just as an example, you’ve probably seen some of the popular news stories about medical marijuana helping children with serious seizure conditions like Dravet Syndrome. While high-CBD cannabis is making massive improvements in their quality of life, many of these children are still taking prescription medications in addition to taking cannabis. The cannabis is simply used in addition to other medications to further reduce seizures and relieve symptoms that the medication wasn’t as effective at treating.

In some cases, patients are able to reduce the overall amount of medications they need to take, especially for medicines that are primarily used to reduce symptoms such as pain killers or opioids. As more research is done into cannabis, and new strains are developed, the options for relief will certainly increase. However, those thinking about trying cannabis for medicinal reasons should talk to their doctor, and go in with the expectation that cannabis will likely be an addition to your regimen, not a replacement.

Grow Tactics for Medical Marijuana

Strain is the most important aspect of growing cannabis plants when it comes to producing the effects you want! But there are a few tips and tricks.

How to Increase THC When Growing Weed

Start with a high-THC strain <– Most important!
Keep plants healthy
Don’t harvest early
Dry and cure your buds after harvest to maximize potency
Maintain a good growing environment
There’s more… Read the Full Growing Tutorial on How to Increase THC

How to Increase CBD When Growing Weed

High-CBD Strain – Like THC, the most important aspect of producing high levels of CBD is to grow a high-CBD strain. Although clones are best because you know exactly what you’re getting, there are now high-CBD seeds available online for those who don’t have access to medical marijuana clones.
Autoflowering Strains – Auto-flowering strains can be a good choice because they are more closely related to wild hemp and often have higher levels of CBD than other types of cannabis. Although there are auto-flowering cannabis strains bred specifically for CBD, nearly all auto-flowers have at least 1-2% CBD (compared to less than 1% in most high-THC strains). This mitigates the effects of THC and makes you less likely to have racing thoughts or anxiety.
Don’t harvest early or late – Harvesting at right time maximizes cannabinoid and CBD levels
There’s more… Read the Full Growing Tutorial on How to Increase CBD

Growing Medical Marijuana for a Friend or Family Member

A lot of people write to us because they want to try growing a high-CBD or other medical marijuana strain for a sick friend or relative. It’s a very human, and very admirable trait to want to help people if we can, especially the people we love! Every time I hear from a concerned family member trying to do all they can, I think of how fortunate someone is to have a person in their life who cares so much.

I also feel a pang of sadness at how much of a task there is ahead is for someone thinking to jump into indoor growing without knowing what it entails. After deciding to try medical marijuana, often someone’s initial plan is to start a whole grow operation, get a high-CBD strain, grow it, prepare it and then hope it actually does something. As commendable as this quest is, there are many possible points of failure. Anyone who tries to do this could be setting themselves up for a lot of possible heartache!

I believe it’s very important to try to confirm that cannabis will even do something for you or your friend or family member before you set off on a 4-month journey to grow it yourself. Try to get your hands on some high-CBD weed and test out the effects before investing in a grow set up.

Unless you just love growing plants for the sake of it. I understand that. Cannabis really is one of the most fun and exciting plants to grow 🙂

Recommended Strains Based on Feedback from Patients

Anxiety or Insomnia – High CBD, Varied THC

Dinamed CBD Auto – A high-CBD (14%), low-THC(0.3-0.8%) autoflowering strain that was specifically developed to be relaxing. No psychoactive effects.
Euphoria CBD – This strain has about a 1:1 ratio of THC:CBD. That means the buds will get you “high” but not in an overwhelming way. It’s a soothing choice for someone with anxiety who wants some of the medicinal effects of THC (psychoactive effects, pain or nausea relief, etc.) while still reducing nerves.
Afghan Kush – This particular version of the popular strain is high-THC and feels very potent, but the mental effects tend to be calming and peaceful.

Seizures / Epilepsy / Dravet Syndrome – High CBD, Low THC

Medikit CBD – CBD at 20% or more, and THC under 1%. Developed specifically to be a therapeutic strain (hence the name). A mix between the legendary (clone-only) seizure-fighting Harlequin strain and a selection of high-CBD strains that originated in Central and South America.
Charlotte’s Angel CBD Auto – A high-THC (16%), low-CBD (0.7%) autoflowering version of the Charlotte’s Angel CBD strain (the autoflowering version seems better for seizures)
Purplediol CBD Auto – Another great medicinal autoflowering strain. CBD is around 17% and THC is around 0.5%. High yielding and quick to harvest. Gives a “chill” feeling but no psychoactive effects.

Pain – Significant THC, Varied CBD

Skunk Haze CBD – This prize-winning strain has a 1:1 ratio of THC:CBD. You will experience gentle mental effects that are not overpowering.
LA Confidential – This version of LA Confidential has won numerous awards. The effects are potent, psychedelic, and pain-fighting, but won’t weigh you down like many high-THC strains. Somehow energizing and relaxing at the same time.
Black Sugar – This very high-THC strain can help reduce pain and has powerful mental effects as well. Easy to grow!
Florida Lemons – Another mighty high-THC strain. Beautiful bud structure and a delightful lemon scent.

Help get medical marijuana legalized in your US state!

Neither the creators of this site nor the author of this article are doctors or any type of medical professionals. Please don’t take anything said on this page or anywhere on GrowWeedEasy.com as medical advice. We are trying to share general information to help people, but please speak with a doctor about any specific questions, especially if you’re thinking about trying medical marijuana yourself!

Further resources for medical marijuana patients

Medical Marijuana Laws
What are the medical marijuana laws in your US state?
How to Help Change Laws in Your State
Medical Marijuana Laws by Country

Medical Conditions
Epilepsy or Seizures
Anxiety

Cannabinoids
Breakdown of Cannabinoids: THC vs CBD vs CBN
Learn more about CBD at ProjectCBD.org

Growing Tactics
How to Increase THC While Growing
How to Increase CBD While Growing

Edibles & Vaporizing
Learn More About Vaporizing
Edible Recipes: Best Weed Butter Recipe, Canna Caps, Rick Simpson Oil (RSO), Cannabis Tinctures

Jump to…

How Long Does It Take to Grow Weed?

How to Train Your Plants

7 Tips for Growing Top-Shelf Buds

5 Ways to Increase Yields (with any strain)

Is it safe to buy marijuana seeds online?

The post Growing Medical Marijuana: “Medical” vs Non-Medical Strains appeared first on Grow Weed Easy.

Link Guide to Growing Cannabis Tutorials

Nebula Haze — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 03:08:57 +0000

by Nebula Haze

In addition to the search bar, this link guide helps you navigate through the Grow Weed Easy website. Learn about growing topics you won’t find anywhere else! This is a shortened list of all our cannabis growing tutorials, as the website has over 500 articles and tutorials!

Full List of EVERYTHING on GWE ← Over 500 Articles & Growing Tutorials!

Start Here – Beginner Grow Guides

Complete Beginner’s Guide
How do I start growing my own weed indoors? (get help choosing your setup)
How to Grow Weed in 10 Steps
Simplest Cannabis Grow Guide Ever!
How Long Does It Take to Grow Weed? (Marijuana Growth Timeline)
3 Steps from Beginner to Legendary Grower
Complete New Grower’s Shopping List

Cannabis Life Stages

Germination
Vegetative Stage (Getting Bigger)
Flowering Stage (Making Buds)
Harvest

Choosing…

Common New Grower Topics

Problems & Symptoms

Plant Training (Indoor Tricks for Bigger Yields)

Grow Mediums

Nutrients

Grow Lights

5 Best LED Grow Lights 2025 (Yields, Speed, & Bud Quality)
Compare Types of Cannabis Grow Lights
- Fluorescents (T5s) – Good for Seedlings Only (not powerful enough to produce potent buds or big yields)
- CFLs (Spiral Bulbs) – Not Recommended (LEDs are much better)
- LED Grow Lights – Recommended for Most Home Growers
- MH/HPS Grow Lights – Good Alternative to LEDs, But Run Much Hotter
- CMH / LEC Grow Lights – Good Alternative to LEDs, But Run Much Hotter
- Plasma / Magnetic Induction Grow Lights – Not Recommended (poor cannabis growth)
How Does Light Spectrum Affect Marijuana Plants?
How Far Away Do I Keep My Grow Lights?
You Can Actually Give Plants Too Much Light?!
Grow Light Upgrade Guide: Yields & Potency Explained
Cannabis Grow Lights: What’s the Best Size?

Best LED Grow Light Articles

5 Best LED Grow Lights 2025 (Yields, Speed, & Bud Quality)
LED Grow Lights: Too Much or Not Enough Light?
LED Grow Journal: Mars Hydro TSL-2000W vs Spider Farmer SF-2000
LEC vs LED Grow Lights: Side-by-Side Cannabis Grow Journal
Nebula’s Auto-Flowering Grow Journal (Topping vs Natural) – cannabis plants are grown under LED grow lights

Environment

Plant Care Tutorials

How to Improve…

Yields
Bud Quality
- 7 Environment Effects on Bud Quality
- The Secret to Excellent Bud Quality
THC Levels
CBD Levels
Smell/Taste
Density
Bud Color (How to Grow Pink or Purple Buds)
Glitter (Make Buds Sparkle with More Trichomes)
Bonus: What Determines Yields?

Buying Seeds

Recommended Strains

Best Autoflowering Cannabis Strains for Yields & Potency
List of Sugar-Dusted Strains (Heavy Trichome Genetics)
10 Cold-Resistant Cannabis Strains
14 Heat-Resistant Cannabis Strains
Which cannabis strains stay short? (Best strains for small spaces)

Auto-Flowering Strains

Edibles

Decarboxylation: How to Decarb Your Weed (crucial step for just about every edible recipe)
Best Weed Butter Recipe
- How to Make Great Brownies with Weed Butter
Canna Caps
How to Make Cannabis Gummies (Weed Gummy Bears)
How to Make Cannabis Tinctures
How to Make Hash Oil (aka Cannabis Extract Oil, Rick Simpson Oil, or RSO)

Extracts (No Solvents Used in Any Recipe)

Solventless Extraction Showdown – Bubble Hash vs. Dry-Ice Hash!
Dry Ice Hash (Made with Dry Ice)
How to Make Bubble Hash (Made with Ice Water)
How To Make Your Own Homemade Rosin (dabs)

And Lots More!

Safety & Preparation

Just for Fun

Weird or What? Cannabis Mutations & More!
Creatures on Cannabis (Cute Photo Gallery)
10 Gift Ideas for Cannabis Growers

Submit Pics

Want More?

Complete List of EVERYTHING on GWE ← Full List (Over 500 articles & growing!)

Thanks for visiting! We hope our website helps you find the growing tutorials you were looking for. We’ve written hundreds of growing marijuana articles and unfortunately we can’t fit them all on this page, so we encourage you to use the search bar on the right side (or top of the page for mobile users) to search for articles you don’t see here.

Happy growing!
Nebula & Sirius

Use this “Navigation” page to find the pot growing topic you’re interested in, or click here to see every single page on the website!

The post Link Guide to Growing Cannabis Tutorials appeared first on Grow Weed Easy.

How to Use Medical Marijuana for Epilepsy

Nebula Haze — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 04:55:13 +0000

by Nebula Haze

Table of Contents

How to Use Medical Marijuana to Prevent Seizures

Possible Medical Strains for Epilepsy Patients

How to Use Medical Marijuana to Prevent Seizures

The first thing that I think is really really important to get out there is that marijuana does not "cure" anything! There is no credible scientific evidence that cannabis is some sort of cure-all. What is especially disturbing to me is how many people are willing to offer false hope to very sick people, by saying that cannabis can "cure" their Epilepsy, or allow them to completely go off their prescription medications.

Cannabis has some incredible medical effects and benefits that can help patients suffering from seizures, but it's important to understand the facts!

When it comes to treating Epilepsy or Dravet Syndrom with medical marijuana, it should always be done under the care of a physician, and in addition to current medications. Almost all Epilepsy patients who report some relief from cannabis continue to use RX medications in addition to help control seizures.

The best treatment for patients suffering from seizures seems to come from high-CBD, low-THC forms of cannabis, extracts or hash oil (sometimes referred to as Rick Simpson oil or RSO).

Most Effective Ways of Using Medical Cannabis to Prevent Seizures

High-CBD cannabis edibles or extract oil. These can be made at home from high-CBD cannabis, or some patients purchase specialized concentrates/edibles that are high in CBD and low in THC from known sellers (for example "Cheeba Chews").
High-CBD strains using a vaporizer (smoking is not the most healthy way to take cannabis). Vaporize your cannabis instead of smoke it, as vaping allows for easier dosing and is less likely to come on too strong too fast.
Keep taking your prescriptions – Always speak to your doctor before taking any type of new medicine including marijuana, and continue to take all prescription medications. Do not reduce or stop using your prescriptions without talking to your neurologist or you may induce a seizure! Most patients who successfully use cannabis to help control seizures do it in addition to their prescriptions.
AVOID anything high in THC especially when there's also low levels of CBD. Avoid concentrates like "wax", "dabs", "shatter" and "BHO" (butane hash oil) which are usually extremely high in THC and low in everything else. Also avoid untested edibles, as these are also usually high in THC. Most "recreational" or adult-use cannabis is high in THC, and extremely low in CBD – you need specialized strains for low THC.
AVOID CBD products made from hemp. I've noticed these "legal" alternatives to medical cannabis popping up everywhere, but I haven't seen any evidence that these are effective for preventing seizures. There's also questions about whether these unregulated products are safe (or even legal). It is highly recommended to only use CBD derived from medical marijuana, not from industrial hemp.

Please note that CBD will help counteract the psyhcoactive effects of THC. In addition to preventing seizures, high-CBD strains do not seem to affect most people's ability to think or function, especially when compared to high-THC cannabis.

Which strains work best for preventing seizures?

High-CBD, Low-THC strains!

A strain is usually considered "high-CBD" if it has more than 2% CBD. Some strains have higher levels of CBD than that, up to 15% CBD or more. As far as growing your own supply of medicine, generally you'll get the most consistent high-CBD results with clones, though high-CBD strains from seed have come a long way over the last few years as the strains are stabilized.

How to Increase CBD While Growing

But even more important than the total amount of THC and CBD is the ratio between them. For most Epilepsy patients, it's recommended to use a ratio where there's equal or more CBD compared to THC.

Famous High-CBD Medical Strains Available Only as Clones

Harlequin
Sour Tsunami
Charlotte's Web

Trustworthy High-CBD Strains Available as Seeds

Supreme CBD Kush by Nirvana (1:1 ratio – 9.5% THC and 9.5% CBD) – one of the most consistent breeders in the business – you always get exactly what they tell you!
CBD Medi Haze by CBD Crew (minimum 1:1 up to 1:2 THC/CBD ratio) – This breeder has been specifically breeding high-CBD strains since 2009, far longer than most other breeders
CBD Mango Haze by CBD Crew (minimum 1:1 up to 1:2 THC/CBD ratio) – Same great breeder, different high-CBD strain

Avoid these!

High-THC strains or edibles without significant levels of CBD – Unfortunately, high-THC levels is what you'll get with most popular strains, since growers have been selecting for high-THC, low-CBD over the last several decades. It's only recently that growers have been breeding strains with higher levels of CBD. For extra safety, Epilepsy patients only use strains which have at least 2% CBD levels, and even higher levels of CBD are good. Some strains have 15% CBD or more. Never use strains with over 15% THC!
Strong concentrates – Especially avoid things like "wax", "dabs", "shatter" and "BHO" (butane hash oil) which are usually extremely high in THC and low in everything else. Also avoid untested edibles, as these are also usually high in THC.

This is all just anecdotal evidence for now, but I would love to hear more experiences, good or bad, from other epileptics. If you have Epilepsy and have ever used medical marijuana, please leave your feedback, good or bad.

Learn how to increase CBD levels when growing your own cannabis

Question: Which strains are best for siezures my son? He seems to be sensitive to smoking. I'm not sure but cannabis actually seems to trigger siezure activity as opposed to stop it. The cannabis used is all grown in soil organically. Are there specific strains which increase the seizure threshold? The 2 occations he had grand-mal seizure was after smoking dabs.

Answer:

We are not medical professionals and nothing that we say can be used as medical advice. I recommend talking with your son's neurologist before making any changes to your son's medical regimen (and many neurologists are starting to educate themselves about medical cannabis), but I will share what I've learned so far from my own epilepsy.

First off, it's important to understand that different strains have different cannabinoids. Two of the most studied cannabinoids are THC and CBD.

For many people with epilepsy, high levels of THC can be a big trigger for seizures. Dabs are almost always extremely high in THC and low in everything else, and should be avoided at all costs by those with epilepsy, especially if they've triggered a grand-mal in the past. It's also important to avoid high-THC, low CBD strains (which unfortunately make up the majority of strains these days).

What seems to work best for those with seizures is high-CBD strains with a moderate to low amount of THC. There are also concentrates/edibles available (for example Cheeba Chews) with are high in CBD and low in THC. These strains/concentrates/edibles don't get you "high" but they can help reduce seizures for some people. In my experience and from epilepsy patients I've spoken with, the best results come from medical cannabis strains that are high in CBD. You may see some people advertising high-CBD concentrates made from industrial hemp, but these aren't tested to see if they work for reducing seizures (plus they're expensive and unregulated).

If you live in a medical state, you may be able to get your hands on high-CBD, low-THC medical cannabis clones. If not, you may have to take your chances getting seeds online. High-CBD strains are relatively new, and haven't been as stabilized as other strains that you get from seed. That's why getting a clone is best, especially if the grower has actually tested the buds and can confirm the CBD levels. But there are good options with seeds, and high-CBD strains are getting more stabilized each year. Many dispensaries also carry high-CBD strains these days, and those are great because they've actually been tested for THC and CBD levels so you know exactly what you're getting.

A great breeder to check out is "CBD Crew" as they've been breeding high-CBD strains since 2009.

I hope that helps, and good luck with your son!

Visit the Medical Cannabis for Epilepsy Google+ group for more news and discussion.

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Disclaimer: THIS PAGE HAS NO MEDICAL ADVICE! I am not a doctor or medical practitioner, and neither is anyone else who helps run this website. We are trying to help provide information to patients, but you must always consult with your doctor or health care advisor before changing anything related to your health regimen for epilepsy. There is not enough clinical evidence & research about the benefits of medical cannabis for it to be used as a main source of medicine for epilepsy or any other condition, and you need to speak with a licensed health care advisor to make the right decision for your health and your situation. You may be surprised at how many doctors are willing to talk openly about medical cannabis. As with everything for epileptics, if you do make any changes, start slowly and avoid going overboard.

There are not enough studies about cannabis and epilepsy to know the complete effects. Until more studies have been conducted, I believe that cannabis should only be used by epileptics as a last resort, when nothing else has worked. If you do decide to try to prevent seizures with epilepsy, start slow and try to stay at the lowest dose needed to acheive results. Remember that any kind of stress on the body can make seizures worse. Some epileptics have claimed that any kind of medical marijuana will actually makes their epilepsy worse or even directly triggers seizures, so definitely don't just start smoking marijuana like it's a new epilepsy RX from your doctor. It's important to be slow and methodical according to a plan set by your doctor, checking in regularly with your neurologist.

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