About 22% of French patients with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s or Charcot’s disease) report using cannabis or CBD oil to alleviate the symptoms of the disease, according to data from a national survey published in the journal Neurology.
Survey participants said that cannabinoids improved their motor skills, reduced pain, improved their mood and overall quality of life. Reported side effects were mild (drowsiness, dry mouth, etc.) and attributed to the classic cannabinoid effect.
“To our knowledge, this is the first study that presents a large questionnaire survey on the ‘real’ situation of cannabis use in the medical context among patients with ALS in France,” the study authors said.
“Our data demonstrates that a significant proportion of ALS patients use cannabis to relieve the symptoms of the disease. … This study underscores the need for further research into the potential benefits of cannabis use for the management of motor and non-motor symptoms of ALS.”
Preclinical models suggest that cannabinoids may delay the progression of ALS and alleviate some of its symptoms. A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial is currently underway in Australia to determine if cannabis extracts can slow the progression of ALS.
ALS affects around 7,000 people in France. The disease is not included in the French experimentation with therapeutic cannabis.
