It was on World Autism Awareness Day that Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed a bill into law adding autism spectrum disorder to the state’s list of MMJ conditions.
It was the previous governor John Hickenlooper vetoed the 2018 bill that would’ve added autism to the state’s list of conditions approved for MMJ.
“It’s National Autism Day today, and we are acting by expanding patients’ access to cannabis products that help those with autism,” Polis said before he signed the bill.
“We know that not just anecdotally, but with a mounting amount of good scientific data that is coming in.”
A study in Chile in 2017 had found that oral cannabis extracts were “dramatically more effective than conventional medicines” at combatting ASD.
Studies done at the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem have also shown marijuana to improve behaviors among autistic patients.
Representative Edie Hooton and Senator Stephen Fenberg had both pushed for the bill in 2018 and 2019.
“They came to us because they needed relief from the severe symptoms from autism, and they were not able to make progress at the executive level,” Hooton said. “I can speak on behalf of my fellow co-sponsors: This is just a victory for these families. It’s such a privilege and honor to really make a difference for families with children who are suffering from autism spectrum disorder.”
