Colorado May Add Medical Marijuana as a Treatment for Autism

The Colorado Legislature, by a 10-1 vote is looking to add Autism to the list of approved medical marijuana conditions.

The Health and Insurance Committee passed the bill  (HB19-1028 ) despite physicians who spoke out against it as well as seeing the bill vetoed by previous Governor John Hickenlooper.

Parents who had held rallies in support of the measure have exhausted traditional methods of treating autism, some with very little success.

The measure states: The bill encourages the state board of health when awarding marijuana study grants to prioritize grants to gather objective scientific research regarding the efficacy and the safety of administering medical marijuana for pediatric conditions, including but not limited to autism spectrum disorder.

Last June, then Governor Hickenlooper vetoed the bill, in part, because no pediatricians would back it. One pediatrician referred to it as "Russian Roulette".

The bill now goes to the Colorado House of Representatives which, if it passes, would allow autism patients, even those under the age of 18, to treat the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with medical cannabis. Those patients under the age of 18 will require the approval of two physicians.