Gary Griffin had neither tried nor was ever inclined to the likes of cannabis in his 74 years of age. The former Airman and Castle Rock businessman considered the product to be ‘The Devil’s Weed’ and was apprehensive about its merits.
But distress struck Griffin when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. With the onset of Parkinson’s, Gary began to experience the symptoms that accompanied it. Primarily, the constant trembling of his hands and sleeplessness during nights. These put him in a difficult situation where he was just looking for something, anything really, that would provide him with relief.
Enter CBD Oil. This is when Griffin came across a few accounts from patients that discussed the benefits of CBD Oil derived from a non-psychoactive part of the cannabis plant, Cannabidiol, which had improved their conditions. Hesitantly, Griffin made an attempt to try the said medicinal plant supplement.
Shortly after beginning his CBD Oil journey, Griffin enrolled himself in Colorado’s first clinical study – the Colorado Medical Marijuana Research Grant program which was aimed at determining the effects of CBD Oil on patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. Air Force Veteran Gary Griffin was a perfect fit. As part of the study that involved quite a number of patients with similar condition, participants were provided with proper medicinal graded CBD Oil to be taken regularly. Neurologist Dr. Maureen Leehey, who works at the University of Colorado Hospital and also the Principal Investigator of the study, explains about the legalization of medical marijuana even before determining its effectiveness against medical disorders. Dr. Leehey has worked in the research of Parkinson’s disease for about three decades, and states her initial concerns about the use of marijuana, “I heard anecdotal accounts from my patients about marijuana use and was concerned it might be dangerous.”
In the beginning stage of her study, the patients took a few doses of CBD Oil with many remarking on a marked improvement. “They had a reduction in our assessment of their motor symptoms and improvement in their nighttime sleep,” states Dr. Leehey. But, she does necessitate on a “placebo-controlled” phase to be carried out as a part of the study. It would play a quintessential role in arriving at proper relevant scientific results as the patients involved in the first phase were well aware of the use of drug i.e. CBD Oil, which may have inadvertently influenced the results.
For Griffin, though it wasn’t the miracle he had hoped for, he did note an improvement with the trembling in his hands as well as witnessing a definite change in his sleep pattern acknowledging that he had a good night’s sleep. Griffin exclaimed to CBS Denver, “Once I started taking CBD Oil, I never had a sleepless night because I couldn’t relax my muscle groups.” For a man who was deterred by cannabis at all costs, the vast improvement had about a whirlwind change, with him now growing and crafting his own CBD Oil at home. Now at 77, Griffin admits with enthusiasm that he may not be a stoner but definitely identifies as a firm advocate of the medicinal drug.
