Most individuals know that medical marijuana contains an ingredient known as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, better known as THC. THC is effective at alleviating pain and improving the patient's appetite.

However, medical marijuana has another ingredient known as cannabidiol (CBD). CBD makes it possible to use medical marijuana to treat other ailments, including childhood seizures. Many patients who begin regularly using CBD experience a dramatic decrease in the number of seizures that they suffer from. For many kids, this allows them to experience a relatively normal childhood. Read on to learn important information about how medical marijuana can help children who suffer from seizures.

CBD Does Not Affect Your State of Mind

THC is the chemical in marijuana that is responsible for making users feel high, relaxed, and euphoric. CBD does little to change the mental state of the user. Initially, researchers thought that humans were unaffected by the CBD in marijuana. However, scientists are now learning that CBD can improve a number of medical conditions, including cancer, heart disease, epilepsy, and certain psychological conditions.

Researchers Aren't Sure Exactly Why CBD Works

Scientists aren't clear on why CBD decreases the frequency of childhood seizures. One hypothesis is that CBD increases the levels of serotonin in the body; these increases may be responsible for the reduction in the patient's seizures.

CBD also stimulates other biochemical pathways throughout the body. It can also function as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.

Certain Strains of Medical Marijuana are Better for Delivering CBD to the Body

One reason that some parents may hesitate to use medical marijuana treatment for childhood seizures is that they are concerned about the THC in marijuana making their children feel high. However, not every strain of medical marijuana has the same distribution of chemicals. Some strands of medical marijuana contain high levels of THC, while other strains have high levels of CBD and extremely low or non-existent levels of THC.

The medical marijuana strains that have high levels of CBD and relatively no THC are ideal for children who suffer from frequent seizures. This strain will improve the frequency of the seizures without altering the child's state of mind.

You Can Administer Medical Marijuana via Multiple Methods

Though smoking is one way to administer medical marijuana, it is not the only option. You can also administer the medical marijuana in drop form. This is preferable when children are using medical marijuana, as it does not affect the lungs and it permits parents and doctors to better control the dosage.