Position Statement on the Use of Medical Cannabis for the Treatment of Epilepsy in Canada.
Juan Pablo AppendinoCyrus BoelmanPaula M BrnaJorge G BurneoCurtis S ClaassenMary B ConnollyMichael V T De GuzmanPaolo FedericoDeirdre FloydRichard James HuntsmanManouchehr JavidanNathalie JetteLaura L JurasekMark R KeezerJonathan C LauBláthnaid McCoyRichard S McLachlanMarcus C NgDang Khoa NguyenAylin Y ReidJong M RhoO Carter SneadJosé F Téllez-ZentenoLaura WangMaria Martha ZakPublished in: The Canadian journal of neurological sciences. Le journal canadien des sciences neurologiques (2020)
In Canada, recreational use of cannabis was legalized in October 2018. This policy change along with recent publications evaluating the efficacy of cannabis for the medical treatment of epilepsy and media awareness about its use have increased the public interest about this agent. The Canadian League Against Epilepsy Medical Therapeutics Committee, along with a multidisciplinary group of experts and Canadian Epilepsy Alliance representatives, has developed a position statement about the use of medical cannabis for epilepsy. This article addresses the current Canadian legal framework, recent publications about its efficacy and safety profile, and our understanding of the clinical issues that should be considered when contemplating cannabis use for medical purposes.