Cannabis essential oil has numerous health benefits, ranging from reducing stress and anxiety to improving heart health. It is also known for its ability to protect the skin, improve sleep quality, boost appetite, optimize digestion, relieve pain, prevent certain cancers, and reduce the symptoms of glaucoma and headaches.

Through selective breeding, marijuana growers have been able to create strains with high levels of CBD, one of the non-psychoactive compounds found in cannabis. Some of the strains with high levels of CBD include ACDC, Harlequin, Sour Tsunami, Cannatonic, and Jamaican Lion. The most famous CBD-rich strain is Charlotte’s Web, named after a young girl named Charlotte Figi, who used it to combat severe seizures caused by Dravet syndrome, without the side effect of getting high.

A 2014 survey conducted by researchers at Stanford University revealed that CBD-enriched cannabis can be an effective treatment for epilepsy. Out of the 19 parents surveyed, 16 reported a reduction in their child’s seizure frequency while taking CBD cannabis, with two reporting complete seizure freedom. Other beneficial effects included increased alertness, better mood, and improved sleep, while side effects included drowsiness and fatigue.

Preliminary results of a study involving children with treatment-resistant epilepsies in an expanded access “compassionate use program” also supported the idea that CBD may be a promising treatment for epilepsy. After three months of treatment with a purified 98 percent oil-based CBD extract called Epidiolex, 39 percent of the 23 patients had more than a 50 percent reduction in seizures, with a 32 percent median reduction.

Overall, these findings suggest that cannabis essential oil, particularly strains with high levels of CBD, may have significant health benefits and potential therapeutic applications for various medical conditions.