ReviewHistorical perspective on the medical use of cannabis for epilepsy: Ancient times to the 1980s

•Cannabis has been used by numerous civilizations as medicine for millennia.•There has have been reports of cannabis improving seizure control for over 2000 years.•This historical record provides justification for scientific studies for ongoing preclinical and clinical exploration of the anti-seizure properties of cannabinoids and other components of the the cannabis plant.

There has been a dramatic surge in the interest of utilizing cannabis for epilepsy treatment in the US. Yet, access to cannabis for research and therapy is mired in conflicting regulatory policies and shifting public opinion. Understanding the current state of affairs in the medical cannabis debate requires an examination of the history of medical cannabis use. From ancient Chinese pharmacopeias to the current Phase III trials of pharmaceutical grade cannabidiol, this review covers the time span of cannabis use for epilepsy therapy so as to better assess the issues surrounding the modern medical opinion of cannabis use.This article is part of a Special Issue titled Cannabinoids and Epilepsy.