Medical Marijuana For Patients With Autism In Texas
Can Medical Marijuana be used to Treat Autism Spectrum Disorder in Texas?
Autism Spectrum Disorder, which is often casually referred to as autism, is the umbrella term for a range of neurological disorders that are often marked by repetitive thoughts and behaviors and difficulty with social interactions.
Autism, which generally shows itself by the age of 3, affects parts of the brain that influence cognition, socialization, and communication. Autism is often correlated to a number of other conditions, although scientists do not understand the relationships among these conditions yet.
These health issues include anxiety, depression, poor sleep quality, and epilepsy.
There is no cure for autism, but its symptoms and related conditions can be alleviated through a number of treatments, and medical marijuana is one of them.
Medical Marijuana Can be Used to Treat Autism in Texas Thanks to HB1535
Texans now have an additional, and highly effective, treatment option thanks to the passage of HB1535, the expansion of the state’s Compassionate Use Program that Governor Greg Abbott signed into law last month.
While there is so much that we don’t know about this puzzling condition, state legislators and the governor recognized one thing that overwhelming medical evidence supports: Medical marijuana can be a safe and effective treatment for autism and some of its related conditions.
As Dr. Jeffrey Kane, of Child Neurology Consultants of Austin, told Community Impact Newspaper, although there is still much research to be done about medical marijuana and its relationship to autism, “I’ve become persuaded by its usefulness just by seeing my patients. It doesn’t cure autism, but I have seen significant improvements in behavioral outbursts and agitation [and] speech in kids with limited skills.”
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What Has the Research Shown About Autism and Medical Marijuana?
Research shows that medical marijuana can offer relief to people with autism by both alleviating the symptoms of other conditions that they commonly have and by reducing behavioral issues caused by autism.
Conditions that Often Afflict Individuals with Autism
Epilepsy
One of the conditions that most often strikes people with autism is epilepsy, which occurs in that demographic far more frequently than it does in the general population. Likewise, people with epilepsy are far more likely to have autism than are people who don’t have epilepsy. Although the connection between these conditions is unclear, researchers do know that epilepsy can be safely treated with medical marijuana.
Neuroinflammation
Neuroinflammation also frequently afflicts people who have autism. This inflammation of the brain and/or spinal cord can cause a range of health concerns, including chronic pain, impaired cognitive ability, and mental health issues. And, once again, medical marijuana has been shown to effectively reduce neuroinflammation.
Depression
Depression is another condition that commonly affects individuals who have autism and that can be treated effectively with medical marijuana. Cannabis can act like an antidepressant, stimulating brain chemicals that have been shown to cause feelings of wellbeing, resulting in significant decreases in the severity of patients’ reported depression levels.
Behavior Issues Related to Autism
But medical marijuana does not only treat some of the health conditions commonly associated with autism, but it also effectively relieves some of the symptoms believed to be caused by autism. Studies show that medical marijuana can lead to significantly fewer incidents of disruptive behavior, as well as improved mood, concentration, sleep, and quality of life.
Our Doctors are Here to Help You Decide
You don’t have to go it alone if you’re trying to decide if medical marijuana is right for you or a loved one.
Our doctors truly care about helping people who can benefit from medical marijuana to access it, and about guiding them through the decision-making process.
Reserve an evaluation today with one of our doctors. Not only will we make an appointment for you just as soon as we’re cleared to see patients, but you’ll save $25 off the cost of your evaluation!