The story of Charlotte Figi changed the landscape of cannabis forever. After struggling with a rare form of epilepsy known as Dravet syndrome, Figi’s parents discovered cannabidiol (CBD) to greatly inhibit her seizures. Through this healing, Charlotte Figi ended up inspiring an entire movement around cannabis and CBD.
On April 7th, 2020, reports came out that Figi passed away due to complications resembling COVID-19. She was only 13 years old.
Though Figi is no longer with us, her story will continue to inspire others out there looking for the healing powers behind this remarkable plant. This article is a dedication to the story and legacy of Charlotte.
When There Were No Other Answers
Within just months of her life, Charlotte Figi began to suffer from a series of intense seizure attacks. For the next few years, her parents went all around the medical community for answers.
It was discovered that she had a rare and severe form of epilepsy known as Dravet syndrome. People who struggle with this disease tend to have frequent, intense, and prolonged seizures. Since so little is known about it, traditional forms of epilepsy treatment don’t have an effect on Dravet Syndrome.
With that, doctors could only do so much. And Figi’s parents were growing more and more desperate to find answers. Late one night, Charlotte’s father, Matt Figi, was researching Dravet syndrome when he stumbled upon a young boy who was using high-CBD cannabis as a means to reduce his seizures.
Though skeptical at first, Charlotte’s parents agreed to give the natural medicine a try as they truly had no other answers.
Remarkably, CBD had made a huge impact on Charlotte’s seizures. Not only did it reduce the length of each attack, but also the frequency of these attacks. Charlotte Figi may not have been cured, but she was no longer suffering nearly as much as she had been before.
The Loss of a CBD Pioneer
According to KRDO, the local Colorado news station where the Figis live, Charlotte has been reported to pass away from COVID-19. However, these statements aren’t entirely accurate.
According to an update given by Charlotte’s mother, Paige Figi, Charlotte did not test positive for COVID-19. Doctors simply treated her as a COVID-19 patient since her symptoms were related to the disease and she happened to fall sick during this pandemic.
With that said, it’s worthy to note there remains a lot of misinformation surrounding the corona-virus and pandemic as a whole. In fact, many of the deaths being reported are inaccurate.
As we’ve discussed, Charlotte struggled with a rare form of epilepsy. People who struggle with epilepsy don’t usually have compromised immune systems and, therefore, are at less risk of COVID-19 than others out there. Of course, we don’t say this to minimize the risk of COVID-19 as many out there are potentially vulnerable to its symptoms.
Charlotte’s Legacy: Changing the Cannabis Industry Forever
Charlotte Figi was one of the most important figures within the CBD and cannabis industry. Her and the lives of many young children helped to change cannabis regulations across the country – from state-wide marijuana legalization to nation-wide hemp legalization.
But more importantly, Figi’s story was inspiration for others to discover CBD for themselves. It opened the minds of many individuals – including us at The Consigliere – to look into cannabidiol and see how this can have a positive impact on our own physical and mental health.
To take things further, Charlotte’s example allowed many studies to be conducted surrounding CBD and other cannabinoids as a means of relieving various ailments.
Due to the intensity of Dravet syndrome along with other forms of epilepsy, in June 2018, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first ever cannabis-related medication known as Epidiolex. This was the first time in the history of the FDA where they granted cannabis with medical benefits.
An email from the CBD brand inspired by Figi known as Charlotte’s Web reads:
“Charlotte was ten feet tall and carried the world on her shoulders. Inspiring is a lacking word, as are courageous and vivacious and strong and beautiful… She grew, cultivated by a community, protected by love, demanding that the world witness her suffering so that they might find a solution… Charlotte, then, became everyone’s daughter or sister or friend and enlivened empathy and love from anyone who had the privilege of hearing her story, as millions did. Her story built communities, her need built hope, and her legacy will continue to build harmony.”