In a viral video, a man with Parkinson’s Disease ingests a single drop of cannabis oil and appears instantaneously cured of his symptoms. His tremors vanish, his voice steadies, and the relief on his face is miraculous. This short clip from a documentary featuring Larry Smith spread quickly across social media and sensationalized public opinion on medical marijuana. While some scientific studies have shown promising benefits of the drug for those with Parkinson’s, we must distinguish personal anecdotes from scientific proof and invest in stronger research.
Parkinson’s Disease (PD), being a progressive disorder that causes neurons to die, is one of the most disabling neurodegenerative disorders. It leads to debilitating tremors and muscle stiffness, as well as issues with movement, sleep, speech, cognition, and mental health. It is both connected to genetics and environmental causes, and it mainly affects men above the age of 60.
While researchers have not yet found a cure for PD, its symptoms can be treated with the combination drug, carbidopa-levodopa. This medication helps restore the dopamine depleted by PD, and as a result, many patients experience less severe tremors. One of the main side effects of dopamine surges from carbidopa-levodopa is dyskinesia, a different kind of uncontrolled movement. Carbidopa-levodopa also fails to alleviate non-motor symptoms of PD, nor does it aid in stopping the progression of the disease. Although the drug has many benefits, there is still much work to be done in order to find better treatments.
Growing anecdotal accounts of medical marijuana easing Parkinson’s symptoms led to greater scientific interest in the drug’s potential. The endocannabinoid system, located in the brain and composed of endocannabinoids and cannabinoid receptors, is involved with pain, sleep, mood, movement, and other essential functions. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are exogenous cannabinoids that connect to cannabinoid receptors when a person consumes marijuana. Some researchers have proposed that when THC and CBD activate the CB1 receptor, the neurons of a Parkinson’s patient are protected against dyskinesia and dopaminergic lesions. The basal ganglia, important for both motor and non-motor functions, has many cannabinoid receptors, and is the reason why cannabis has shown some benefits for those with PD. If more research is conducted and these findings are proven to be true, it could lead to significant improvements of Parkinson’s treatments.
Because marijuana is federally classified as a Schedule I substance, researchers face many obstacles in studying its potential. Obtaining approval for clinical trials requires getting past extensive federal regulations, and it can be difficult to run experiments across state lines with contradictory laws. As a result, most existing studies are significantly smaller and shorter-term than required for FDA approval. Although many studies have shown promising benefits, there has not been enough research to make any conclusions. Ethical challenges are also an issue, because patients with Parkinson’s are already vulnerable to cognitive or motor impairment. Because marijuana remains classified under the highest level of drug restriction, alongside opioids and hallucinogens, the public has been slow to recognize its potential medicinal benefits. Researchers may also be hesitant to conduct research on a controversial and stigmatized substance.
Ultimately, the researchon medical marijuana as a treatment for Parkinson’s patients is too limited and contradictory to draw any statistically significant conclusions. Although Larry Smith’s story is powerful, it is crucial that we do not accept anecdotes as fact. We need more rigorous research so that the promise shown in stories like Larry Smith’s can potentially be supported by proven, reliable treatments for all Parkinson’s patients.