Charlotte Figi
{{Short description|American medical cannabidiol patient (2006–2020)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Charlotte Figi
| image = Charlotte Figi in 2014.png
| alt =
| caption = Figi with her father in 2014
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|2006|10|18}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2020|04|07|2006|10|18}}
| death_place = Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.
| death_cause = Respiratory failure and cardiac arrest following epileptic seizure
| other_names =
| occupation =
| years_active =
| known_for = Charlotte's Web strain of cannabis is named after her
| notable_works =
}}
Charlotte Figi (October 18, 2006 – April 7, 2020) was an American girl with Dravet syndrome, who took cannabidiol (CBD) oil to prevent seizures, and inspired the name of the medical cannabis strain Charlotte's Web.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/charlotte-figi-girl-severe-seizures-inspired-cbd-treatments-dies-13-n1179396|title=Charlotte Figi, girl with severe seizures that inspired CBD treatments, dies at 13|website=NBC News|date=April 8, 2020 |language=en|access-date=April 8, 2020}}
Life
Figi was born on October 18, 2006, with a twin sister, to parents Paige and Matt Figi.{{cite web |last1=Young |first1=Saundra |title=Marijuana stops child's severe seizures |url=https://www.cnn.com/2013/08/07/health/charlotte-child-medical-marijuana/index.html |publisher=CNN |accessdate=April 9, 2020 |date=August 7, 2013}} At 3 months old, she had her first seizure. 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.{{cite web |last1=Slevin |first1=Colleen |title=Girl Who Inspired Charlotte's Web Marijuana Oil Dies |url=https://apnews.com/f19a91d58ab50fad1ca2267f53ae3696 |publisher=The Associated Press |accessdate=April 8, 2020 |date=April 8, 2020}}
In 2012, Figi's mother searched for CBD marijuana oil for her daughter's treatment.{{cite web |last1=Philipps |first1=Dave |title=Bid to Expand Medical Marijuana Business Faces Federal Hurdles |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/24/us/bid-to-expand-medical-marijuana-business-faces-federal-hurdles.html |newspaper=The New York Times |accessdate=April 8, 2020 |date=August 23, 2014}} Figi began taking oil from the marijuana strain, "Hippie's Disappointment," which contained low THC, and was later renamed Charlotte's Web. 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.{{cite web |last1=Osborne |first1=Hannah |title=Charlotte Figi: The Girl Who is Changing Medical Marijuana Laws Across America |url=https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/charlotte-figi-girl-who-changing-medical-marijuana-laws-across-america-1453547 |newspaper=International Business Times |accessdate=April 8, 2020 |date=June 20, 2014}} While the use of medical marijuana 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.*{{cite web |title=Moving for marijuana: Families with seizure-stricken kids relocating to Colorado for strain of pot |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/kids-seizure-charlotte-web-pot-treatment-article-1.1619066 |newspaper=New York Daily News |accessdate=April 9, 2020 |date=February 18, 2014 }}
- {{cite web |title=Colorado Girl Who Inspired 'Charlotte's Web' Medical Marijuana Oil Dies at 13 |url=https://time.com/5817682/charlotte-figi-dies-marijuana-oil-13/ |magazine=Time |accessdate=April 9, 2020 |date=April 8, 2020 |archive-date=May 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200505151505/https://time.com/5817682/charlotte-figi-dies-marijuana-oil-13/ |url-status=dead }} 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.{{cite web |last1=Naftulin |first1=Julia |title=Charlotte Figi, the girl who spurred a cannabis movement that changed laws across the world, dies at 13 after being treated as 'a likely COVID-19 case' |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/charlotte-figi-inspired-cannabis-movement-dies-at-13-from-coronavirus-2020-4 |newspaper=Business Insider |accessdate=April 9, 2020 |date=April 8, 2020}} She became a well-known figure in the U.S. and international medical marijuana movement{{cite web |last1=Ingold |first1=John |title=Charlotte Figi, the Colorado girl who inspired the CBD movement, dies following illness suspected to be coronavirus |url=https://coloradosun.com/2020/04/08/charlotte-figi-cbd-coronavirus/ |newspaper=The Colorado Sun |accessdate=April 8, 2020 |date=April 8, 2020}} 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.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/charlotte-figi-dead-obit-cbd-medical-marijuana-980454/|title=Charlotte Figi, Poster Child for Medicinal Benefits of CBD, Dead at 13|last=Blistein|first=Jon|date=April 8, 2020|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US|access-date=April 9, 2020}}
In April 2020, Figi was hospitalized with pneumonia, which then caused seizures, respiratory failure, and cardiac arrest.{{cite web | last=Shapiro | first=Katie | date=April 16, 2020 | title=Remembering Charlotte Figi, a hero of the CBD movement | website=The Aspen Times | url=https://www.aspentimes.com/news/high-country-remembering-charlotte-figi-a-hero-of-the-cbd-movement/ | accessdate=April 18, 2020 }} 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 on April 3 and was "treated as a likely COVID-19 case" when later readmitted to the hospital.
- {{cite web |author1=Dara Bitler |author2=Ashley Michels |title=Colorado girl who pioneered medical marijuana for seizures dies following seizure, likely COVID-19 case |url=https://kdvr.com/news/coronavirus/colorado-girl-who-pioneered-medical-marijuana-for-seizures-dies-of-coronavirus/ |publisher=KDVR |accessdate=April 9, 2020 |date=April 8, 2020}}
- {{cite web | last=Garcia | first=Sandra E | title=Charlotte Figi, Who Helped Popularize CBD for Medical Use, Dies at 13 | website=The New York Times | date=April 10, 2020 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/09/us/charlotte-figi-dead.html | access-date=April 10, 2020}}
Legacy
Colorado Governor Jared Polis proclaimed April 7 "Charlotte Figi Day" in Colorado.{{cite web | last=Mitchell | first=Thomas | title=Colorado Names April 7 Charlotte Figi Day to Honor Face of CBD Movement | website=Westword | date=April 22, 2020 | url=https://www.westword.com/marijuana/charlotte-figi-day-in-colorado-to-honor-face-of-cbd-movement-11695467 | access-date=April 22, 2020}}
See also
- {{Portal-inline|Biography}}
- {{Portal-inline|Cannabis}}