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Charlotte Figi, Who Helped Mainstream CBD, Dies at 13 Due to Suspected COVID-19

Renee Fabian
 • 
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Update: Charlotte’s Web announced it will be donating $1 million in CBD products to people who rely on CBD for their health to ensure those who are facing COVID-19-related financial hardships have access. The company, which is making the donation in honor of Charlotte Figi, will identify candidates in need through its nonprofit partners Realm of Caring, Adaptive Training Foundation and High Fives Foundation. To request free product for you or your loved one, you can apply on Realm of Caring’s website here. You’ll receive a coupon code for one of three CBD products, though you will have to pay the $8.99 shipping fee.

Charlotte Figi, a girl with a rare form of epilepsy called Dravet syndrome and who helped normalize CBD use for chronic health conditions, died at the age of 13, according to the Realm of Caring Foundation, on Tuesday. She died from likely complications due to COVID-19, according to the Colorado Sun.

UPDATE FROM PAIGE:Our family is grateful for the outpouring of love while we mourn the loss of our Charlotte….

Posted by Paige Figi on Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Figi was born with Dravet syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy that develops in the first year of life. It causes repeated seizures and typically doesn’t respond to existing epilepsy medications. Dravet syndrome can lead to other complications, including developmental disabilities. Figi’s parents shared she could have as many as two seizures an hour at its worst Figi was nearly out of treatment options when her father saw another child with Dravet syndrome responded to CBD.

CBD, or cannabidiol, is a non-psychoactive strain of the cannabis plant that has shown promise for a number of chronic illnesses, including epilepsy, chronic pain and cancer, though additional research is needed. In 2012, the Figi family worked with the Stanley brothers, who own several Colorado dispensaries, to compound CBD products for Figi that didn’t include THC, the strain of cannabis that can get you “high.” The Stanley brothers created a line of products called Charlotte’s Web, which remains one of the most popular brands of CBD products.

Figi’s journey with medical cannabis ushered in a movement that helped destigmatize cannabis products and made them more widely available. Figi was featured on a CNN special in 2013, showing how CBD dramatically helped ease Figi’s seizures. Her story helped usher in widespread acceptance for CBD: 47 U.S. states now allow medical marijuana and CBD derived from hemp is legal nationwide. In 2018, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the CBD-based drug Epidiolex to treat Dravet syndrome.

It is with a heavy heart that we write to let you know that Charlotte Figi passed away this afternoon. Charlotte’s story…

Posted by Realm of Caring on Wednesday, April 8, 2020

According to Figi’s mom, Paige, the whole family had COVID-19 symptoms but were initially unable to get tested. Once admitted to the hospital, Charlotte tested negative, but she was still treated as a COVID-19 patient because of her symptoms. She died following a seizure that led to respiratory failure and cardiac arrest. The U.S. currently has nearly 350,000 reported infections from the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and 12,000 deaths.

“Charlotte was ten feet tall and carried the world on her shoulders,” wrote Charlotte’s Web on its website, adding:

What began as her story, became the shared story of hundreds of thousands, and the inspiration of many millions more in the journey of their betterment. Charlotte was and will be, the heartbeat of our passion, and the conviction that the dignity and health of a human being is their right.

Fans and friends reacted to her death on social media and shared condolences.

#CheckInWithMe Now

#CheckInWithMe and share what you’re going through — we’re here for you.

Header image via Charlotte Web’s Instagram

Renee Fabian
 • 

Renée Fabian was the features editor at The Mighty. She has also written for The Washington Post, VICE, Healthline, Talkspace, The Fix, The Establishment, The Culture Trip, and GRAMMY.com, among others. Renée was named a 2019 AHCJ Comparative Effectiveness Research fellow, a 2020 USC Center for Health Journalism California fellow, and holds a master's degree in journalism from the University of Southern California and a master's degree in psychology from Antioch University Los Angeles. You can follow her on Twitter @ryfabian.

reneeyfabian
Originally published: April 8, 2020
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