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
More Treatment Options, Better Patient Outcomes
As more states start to pass medical marijuana legislation, patients benefit from having more options available to them regarding their treatment. In fact, a recent study from Columbia University’s Irving Medical Center found that, “States with active medical marijuana laws saw certain opioid prescription rates drop nearly 20 percent compared to states without medical marijuana…
Read More 
Dr. Sanjay Gupta on medical marijuana: We are in an age of wisdom, but also an age of foolishness
When we released “Weed” in 2013, few people had ever heard of cannabidiol, or CBD. Now, two-thirds of Americans are familiar with the compound, and 1 in 7 have tried it. Most of the country, 93%, are in favor of medical marijuana and hemp-derived CBD itself, which has less than 0.3% THC, has been legalized in every state.It’s…
Read More 
How Medical Marijuana Affects Men vs. Women
As expected, men and women differ in a multitude of ways, from genetic makeup and hormonal behavior to how we process information and emotionally respond. The differences in our makeup are the exact reason why any medical treatment, including medical marijuana, will have a diverse impact on men vs. women. Let’s take a closer look…
Read More 
European Parliament Passes Cannabis Resolution, Joins WHO In Supporting Medical Marijuana
Following reports about the World Health Organization (WHO) recommending a rescheduling of cannabis and several of its key components under international drug treaties, the European Parliament voted on Wednesday on a resolution that would help advance medical cannabis in the countries that form the European Union. Read the full story here.
Read More 
The Lack of Clinical Trials in the Medical Marijuana Industry
As time goes on, medical marijuana is starting to break barriers in various states across the country. Out of the 50 states, 33 have approved a comprehensive medical marijuana program (NCSL). Currently, marijuana, medical or recreational, is illegal at the federal level, despite legalization in various states. Many medical professionals are interested in prescribing medical…
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