Parkinson’s: The controversial remedy used by 70% of patients shown to ease symptoms

Bill Turnbull discusses benefits of medicinal cannabis

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A survey recently conducted of 2000 Parkinson’s patients in the US found that 70 percent of them used a form of medicinal cannabis to treat the symptoms of Parkinson’s.

The survey – carried out by the University of Colorado through The Michael J. Fox Foundation’s online platform – reported that patients reported improvements in their sleep, pain, anxiety and levels of agitation.

Michael J. Fox, star of the Back to the Future trilogy, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 1991 and has been campaigning for more treatments in the intervening 30 years.

Assistant professor of neurology in the Division of Movement Disorders at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Katherine Leaver said in response: “These survey results are completely in line with my experience so far…it is a useful tool in the toolbox of treatments for this disease.”

The professor further added “I’ve seen benefits for sleep, pain, anxiety and, sometimes, for motor symptoms”.

Furthermore, the professor added that should patients wish to take medicinal cannabis in order to alleviate their symptoms they should consult with their doctor to consult on which form of medicinal cannabis use.

While 70 percent of respondents to the survey said they used medicinal cannabis, only 30 percent said they had told their doctor they were using it.

This reflects what some describe as a stigma around medicinal cannabis, that even though medicinal cannabis for the most part does not use the psychoactive THC compound and instead uses the non-psychoactive CBD, that people are still afraid to disclose their usage of it.

However, public opinion is changing, particularly in the UK, a YouGov poll in 2019 found that 77 percent of respondents supported the legalisation of medicinal cannabis.

Furthermore, scientists are finding out more every year about the potential benefits of medicinal cannabis and the 140 cannabidiols that make up the cannabis plant.

As well as reducing anxiety and helping people to sleep, medicinal cannabis is an anti-inflammatory which means it could be used on a range of conditions, including COVID-19.

The theory behind this rests on a type of immune reaction known as a cytokine storm.

A cytokine storm occurs during an immune response and when an individual is suffering from COVID-19 this goes into overdrive, potentially causing further damage to the patient.

Doctor Leon Barron, founder of the Primary Cannabis Care Network, said: “There’s some preclinical evidence and studies that suggests that CBD helps to suppress and reduce the release of cytokines”.

While this is positive, more data and more research need to be conducted in order to identify an evidence-based link between CBD and the treatment of COVID-19.

Just as progress is being made at a scientific level, so it is at a political level too, with the Medicinal Cannabis Act awaiting its first reading in Parliament later this year.

In the meantime, more and more evidence is building on the efficacy of medicinal cannabis in its ability to treat a number of conditions.

The more scientifically backed and recognised data that is reviewed and judged, the more evidence there will be for further expansion of prescriptions.

Current treatments for those with Parkinson’s include supportive therapies, medication and surgery.

For more information about the symptoms of Parkinson’s contact the NHS or consult with your GP.

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