Medical Marijuana has been thought to help decrease the symptoms of numerous health issues and disorders but few people know that medical marijuana might also be used to help those that have Autism Spectrum Disorder.
What is ASD?
Autism Specturm Disorder or ASD is a disorder that exists on a specturm. This means that there are many different variations of the disorder and that symptoms can differ between patients. Some of the more common symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder include but are not limited to:
- Social Communication challenges
- Restrictive repetitive behaviors
- Sensory issues
- Physical and mental conditions
Sometimes Autism Spectrum Disorder is categorized by levels from high-functioning to low-functioning.
Autism Spectrum Disorder and Medical Marijuana
While there are no known medications for treating Autism Spectrum Disorder, there are pharmaceuticals that are used to treat certain symptoms. Pharmaceuticals are not always effective and can come with side effects that could require that ASD patients limit their use.
Medical marijuana, on the other hand may help treat some of the symptoms that stem from the conditions of ASD. For example, many ASD patients suffer from mental conditions, including depression and anxiety. Medical marijuana has established a good reputation among patients with treating the symptoms associated with depression and anxiety. In addition, medical marijuana could help ASD patients avoid the serious side effects that can come with pharmaceuticals used.
There are some indications that medical marijuana may even be able to help with some of the core ASD symptoms. For example, symptoms like problems with communication and behavior. In 2018, a study conducted at the Shaare Zedek Medical Center on 60 children with ASD and severe behavioral problems.
Parents of the children in the study reported that 61 percent of behavioral symptoms in the children had either “much improved” or “very much improved”. 39 percent of children experienced improved anxiety levels. Almost half of the children also experienced improvements in communication. Other results of the study showed that a quarter of the children were able to stop the use of other medications. A third of the children were able to lower their dosage of other medications.
While the research is still very new, it is clear that medical marijuana could be the future of treatments for patients with ASD.
Medical Marijuana and Autism Spectrum Disorder in Maryland
Dispensary Works is a Southern Maryland medical marijuana provider committed to providing the best cannabis product as part of our patients’ overall health program.
Our staff includes experts in the science and production of cannabis as medicine. We are here to help you select the best cannabis for your particular needs.
To learn more about who we are and the services we offer, contact us today!
