Most epilepsy patients using marijuana in Oregon did so for seizures and believed it helped, but almost none knew their dose
Among 39 epilepsy patients surveyed in Oregon, 87% used cannabis specifically for seizures, 82% agreed it improved seizure control, but only 2 of 39 could state their actual dose in milligrams, and most used multiple cannabis forms.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
87.2% used cannabis to treat epilepsy. 82% agreed it improved seizure control. Most common strains: high-CBD (30.8%) or multiple types (30.8%). Methods: smoking (66.7%), edibles (48.7%), concentrates (43.6%). Only 2/39 knew their dose. Fewer women used primarily THC (10% vs 47% of men).
Key Numbers
39 cannabis-using epilepsy patients. 87.2% used for seizures. 82% agreed it helped. Only 2/39 knew their dose. High-CBD: 30.8%. Multiple types: 30.8%. Smoking: 66.7%. Edibles: 48.7%. Women vs men using THC-dominant: 10% vs 47%.
How They Did This
Nine-item survey of patients seen in an epilepsy clinic over 9 months at a tertiary care center in Oregon, where recreational cannabis was legalized in 2015.
Why This Research Matters
Even as pharmaceutical CBD (Epidiolex) gained FDA approval, epilepsy patients were already self-treating with dispensary products. The near-universal inability to state doses highlights a fundamental safety gap between pharmaceutical and dispensary cannabis.
The Bigger Picture
The fact that only 5% of epilepsy patients using cannabis could specify their dose is a stark illustration of the gap between medical claims about cannabis and medical-grade practice. This is the fundamental tension of cannabis as medicine: patients believe it works, but they cannot dose it like a medicine.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Small convenience sample from one clinic. Self-reported seizure improvement without objective seizure diary data. Survey design limits depth of response. Oregon-specific population.
Questions This Raises
- ?How does patient-perceived seizure improvement compare to objectively measured seizure frequency?
- ?Would standardized dosing guidance improve outcomes?
- ?Should epilepsy clinics provide cannabis counseling alongside seizure management?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 87% used cannabis for seizures; only 2 of 39 knew their dose in milligrams
- Evidence Grade:
- Preliminary: small single-clinic survey with self-reported outcomes.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2019.
- Original Title:
- Marijuana use among patients with epilepsy at a tertiary care center.
- Published In:
- Epilepsy & behavior : E&B, 97, 144-148 (2019)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-02101
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Do epilepsy patients find cannabis helpful?
In this survey, 82% of cannabis-using epilepsy patients agreed it improved seizure control. However, this is self-reported without objective seizure counting, and almost none could specify their dose, making it impossible to evaluate dosing relationships.
What cannabis products do epilepsy patients use?
Most commonly high-CBD strains or multiple types. Two-thirds smoked cannabis, about half used edibles, and 44% used concentrates. There was a notable sex difference: far fewer women used THC-dominant products compared to men.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-02101APA
Kerr, Alysse; Walston, Victoria; Wong, Victoria S S; Kellogg, Marissa; Ernst, Lia. (2019). Marijuana use among patients with epilepsy at a tertiary care center.. Epilepsy & behavior : E&B, 97, 144-148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2019.05.037
MLA
Kerr, Alysse, et al. "Marijuana use among patients with epilepsy at a tertiary care center.." Epilepsy & behavior : E&B, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2019.05.037
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Marijuana use among patients with epilepsy at a tertiary car..." RTHC-02101. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/kerr-2019-marijuana-use-among-patients
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.