Nebraska forbids most forms of marijuana altogether. But, a small number of patients can still find natural relief in this prohibition state. While Nebraska does not have a CBD program, select patients can use it — the 23 people with epilepsy participate in a special CBD study.
In Nebraska, you cannot use THC- or CBD-based medicine of any kind. The state does not have legalized recreational or medical marijuana. However, a study by the University of Nebraska Medical Center gives some patients a chance. Lawmakers permitted researchers to conduct the Medical CBD Pilot Study in 2015.
The Medical CBD Pilot Study includes a total of 23 patients. These subjects did not respond to previous traditional treatments. They receive a CBD solution called Epidiolex for their seizures. We covered the basic details of Epidiolex on our blog, but it has an easy-to-understand makeup — 99 percent of the solution contains CBD, while the remaining one percent consists of flavorings, oil and alcohol.
If you don’t participate in the study, you may still have a chance at relief. Nebraska excludes FDA-approved CBD supplements from the state definition of marijuana. You cannot use CBD medicine from the University of Nebraska — that’s for study participants only. But, you can possibly get CBD from wellness stores and online sources. Check with a lawyer when in doubt.
Participants in the Medical CBD Pilot Study have conditions such as epilepsy, Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Most of the 23 subjects get relief from their Epidiolex dosages. In fact, patients with hard-to-treat conditions like Dravet syndrome find the most symptom relief.
Besides seizure disorders, CBD can also relieve symptoms such as chronic pain and inflammation. Hopefully, these studies will examine these symptoms in the future. For now, you can get hemp-based CBD to find relief.
Nebraska mainly limits legal marijuana-based CBD to study participants. The Medical CBD Pilot Study does not seem to accept any further patients at this time. Keep an eye on future clinical trials involving CBD to see if you could join one.
While Nebraska’s policies don’t give many patients treatment, even they help advance the movement for legal access. The University of Nebraska’s study paved the way to legal Epidiolex. After the FDA approved Epidiolex, the DEA classified it as a Schedule V drug, which have the least restrictions out of any schedule. Perhaps this is just the start of more legal options for patients.
