Cannabis and autism, explained
Over the past decade, autistic people and their families have increasingly experimented with medical marijuana and products derived from it. Many hope these compounds will alleviate a range of autism-related traits and problems. But scientists are still in the early stages of rigorous research into marijuana’s safety and effectiveness, which means that people who pursue it as treatment must rely mostly on anecdotal information from friends and message boards for guidance.
Here we explain what researchers know about the safety and effectiveness of cannabis for autism and related conditions.
Stories you may be interested in
New study finds cannabis effective for treating migraines
A study published last month in the Journal of Pain found a statistically significant reduction in migraine and headache symptoms and recurrences among patients who used cannabis for treatment.Smoking cannabis reduced the severity and length of migraine episodes by nearly half. Researchers concluded that headache and migraine severity were reduced by nearly 50% after using cannabis. The study, conducted by researchers…
Read More 
Medical Marijuana Faces Acceptance Barrier by Hesitant Medical Schools
A new study shows a growing interest by university pharmacy programs in teaching about medical marijuana in their curriculum, while medical schools seem to lag behind. Sixty-two percent of U.S. pharmacy school respondents queried in a new survey said they included medical marijuana in their doctorate of pharmacy curriculum. That’s according to a nine-page study co-authored by…
Read More 
An Alternative Treatment for Parkinson’s Patients
April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month and an opportune time to highlight the disease and how medical marijuana may be a beneficial treatment option for those living with the condition. Many Parkinson’s patients find themselves desperate for alternative treatment options that provide sufficient relief of their symptoms and help avoid or postpone the need for surgery…
Read More 
After A Decade Of Testing, Israeli Medical Cannabis Comes To The US
Cannabis is still federally illegal, so while more than 30 US states allow doctors to recommend it, there is very little medical testing of the substance in America. In Israel however, medical cannabis has been legal for more than ten years and studies on the plant’s ability to alleviate the side-effects of cancer and ease…
Read More 
What You Need to Know About CBD Oil
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-intoxicating extract from the hemp plant that is a natural remedy for many ailments like epilepsy, insomnia, nausea, anxiety and more. A popular method of taking CBD is in the form of an oil, which is made from pulling cannabidiol from the cannabis plant and diluting it with another oil. Once…
Read More 
Cannabis for Treating IBD: Hope or Hype?
Nausea, abdominal pain and changes in appetite. These are all things that can significantly impact one’s wellbeing if left untreated, yet they have all shown marked improvements when associated with cannabis. Yet, less is known about the effects of cannabis on inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, a chronic inflammatory condition that impacts the gastrointestinal tract…
Read More