Colorado House Committee OKs Cannabis to Treat Autism
[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]A[/dropcap]fter being blocked last year, Colorado political leaders made a step forward towards approving cannabis for the treatment of autism.
Last Wednesday, the House’s Health and Insurance Committee approved a measure that will allow autism to be treated with medical cannabis by a vote of 10-1. HB 19-1028, which would add autism spectrum disorder to the list of disabling medical conditions for medical cannabis treatment, is sponsored by Rep. Kim Ransom and Rep. Edie Hooton. Hooton sponsored a medical cannabis bill last year, which would have added autism and acute pain to the medical cannabis treatment qualifying list.
Last year’s attempt was vetoed by then-Gov. John Hickenlooper. However, the new governor of Colorado, Jared Polis, has promised to sign measures like this one while on his gubernatorial run. “I hope to see these thoughtful, bipartisan bills to help Coloradans with autism . . . reintroduced in the next legislative session,” Polis said. “If they are, and I’m governor when that happens, I will gladly sign them into law.”
The committee hearing Wednesday was full of patients and advocates supporting the legislation change, as well as professionals who were wary of the effect that cannabis is likely to have on autistic patients. The standing-room-only hearing lasted five hours.
Parents spoke of the effect that cannabis had on their autistic children. “As a mom, I want my child to stop beating his head against a wall,” said Melissa Atchley during her testimony. Head banging is one of the ways an autistic child can “stim,” or practice repeated actions to calm themselves.
Cannabis’ effect on autism is currently the focus of several studies, including a recently published one where cannabis decreased dependency on other medications and improved symptoms. The state of Colorado is studying cannabis’ effect on autism, funded by cannabis tax revenue and commissioned by former governor Hickenlooper. The bill next goes to the House for debate and a vote.
