Charlotte Figi (October 18, 2006 – April 7, 2020) was an American girl with

Dravet syndrome Dravet syndrome, previously known as severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy (SMEI), is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder which causes a catastrophic form of epilepsy, with prolonged seizures that are often triggered by hot temperatures or feve ...

, who took

cannabidiol Cannabidiol (CBD) is a phytocannabinoid discovered in 1940. It is one of 113 identified cannabinoids in cannabis plants, along with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and accounts for up to 40% of the plant's extract. , clinical research on CBD incl ...

(CBD) oil to prevent seizures, and inspired the name of the

medical cannabis Medical cannabis, or medical marijuana (MMJ), is cannabis and cannabinoids that are prescribed by physicians for their patients. The use of cannabis as medicine has not been rigorously tested due to production and governmental restrictions ...

strain

Charlotte's Web ''Charlotte's Web'' is a book of children's literature by American author E. B. White and illustrated by Garth Williams; it was published on October 15, 1952, by Harper & Brothers. The novel tells the story of a livestock pig named Wilbur and his ...

Life

Figi was born on October 18, 2006, with a

twin Twins are two offspring produced by the same pregnancy.MedicineNet > Definition of TwinLast Editorial Review: 19 June 2000 Twins can be either ''monozygotic'' ('identical'), meaning that they develop from one zygote, which splits and forms two em ...

sister, to parents Paige and Matt Figi. At 3 months old, she had her first

seizure An epileptic seizure, informally known as a seizure, is a period of symptoms due to abnormally excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain. Outward effects vary from uncontrolled shaking movements involving much of the body with los ...

. Due to her Dravet syndrome, at age five, she used a wheelchair, had up to 300 grand mal seizures a week, and had trouble speaking. In 2012, Figi's mother searched for CBD marijuana oil for her daughter's treatment. Figi began taking oil from the marijuana plant, "Hippie's Disappointment," which contained low THC, and was later renamed

. With the use of Charlotte's Web, Figi experienced an immediate reduction in her epileptic seizures, down from 300 a week to two or three per month. While the use of

medical marijuana Medical cannabis, or medical marijuana (MMJ), is cannabis and cannabinoids that are prescribed by physicians for their patients. The use of cannabis as medicine has not been rigorously tested due to production and governmental restrictions ...

was still illegal in many states, news of Figi's success spread and families with similar diagnoses started moving to Colorado Springs, where the drug was originally sold. Because of her story, she also gained worldwide notice and media attention. In 2013, she was the subject of the CNN documentary ''Weed'' by

Sanjay Gupta Sanjay Gupta (born October 23, 1969) is an American neurosurgeon, medical reporter, and writer. He serves as associate chief of the neurosurgery service at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, associate professor of neurosurgery at t ...

. She became a well-known figure in the U.S. and international medical marijuana movement and her story helped support U.S. legislation on medical marijuana. In 2019, Figi was the first child featured on a cover of ''

High Times ''High Times'' is an American monthly magazine (and cannabis brand) that advocates the Legalization of non-medical cannabis in the United States, legalization of cannabis as well as other counterculture ideas. The magazine was founded in 1974 by ...

''. In April 2020, Figi was hospitalized with

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity ...

, which then caused seizures,

respiratory failure Respiratory failure results from inadequate gas exchange by the respiratory system, meaning that the arterial oxygen, carbon dioxide, or both cannot be kept at normal levels. A drop in the oxygen carried in the blood is known as hypoxemia; a rise ...

, and

cardiac arrest Cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. It is a medical emergency that, without immediate medical intervention, will result in sudden cardiac death within minutes. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and possib ...

. She died on April 7, 2020, at the age of 13. According to her mother, Figi was admitted to the hospital and tested negative for

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...

on April 3 and was "treated as a likely COVID-19 case" when later readmitted to the hospital. * *

Legacy

Colorado Governor

Jared Polis Jared Schutz Polis (; born May 12, 1975) is an American politician, entrepreneur, businessman, and philanthropist, serving as the 43rd governor of Colorado since January 2019. He served one term on the Colorado State Board of Education from 200 ...

proclaimed April 7 "Charlotte Figi Day" in

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Figi, Charlotte 2006 births 2020 deaths 21st-century American women American people with disabilities American twin children Cannabis in Colorado Deaths from epilepsy People with epilepsy Neurological disease deaths in Colorado People from Colorado Springs, Colorado Place of birth missing Child deaths

Life

Legacy

See also

References