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\u201cThis is about improving their quality of life, as well as the family\u2019s quality of life, and the right to try a natural, plant-based medicine.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n By Gloria Gomez, Arizona Mirror<\/strong><\/p>\n Arizonans with autism and post-traumatic stress disorder could add marijuana to their medical toolkit under a proposal that expands who can access the drug.<\/p>\n Currently, people with severe medical conditions such as cancer, Alzheimer\u2019s disease or seizures can apply for a medical marijuana card. While adult recreational use is legal in the Grand Canyon state since Arizonans voted to allow it in 2020, qualifying for a medical marijuana card means lower prices, shorter wait times and being allowed to purchase more.<\/p>\n Senate Bill 1466<\/a> extends those benefits to Arizonans who suffer from PTSD or live with autism. As many as 20 states include PTSD on their list of conditions to access cannabis via a medical license, and 14 states have prescribed it as a treatment for autism.<\/p>\n The proposal drew widespread bipartisan support in the Arizona Senate earlier this month, and on Monday it moved past its first hurdle in the state House of Representatives, propelled forward by the pleas of parents.<\/p>\n Christina Flynn told members of the House Health and Human Services Committee that her autistic son\u2019s life was drastically improved after being allowed to use marijuana.<\/p>\n Arizona doesn\u2019t currently include autism among those who are allowed to access medical marijuana, and only those 21 or older may use recreational marijuana, but some symptoms that accompany autism may qualify for the treatment, such as seizures.<\/p>\n Flynn\u2019s son, who has been diagnosed with severe autism, used to suffer from repeated rage attacks and self-injurious behaviors. Six antipsychotic drugs failed to resolve those issues, but marijuana worked where other treatments didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n \u201cHe used to attack people about 30 times a day,\u201d she said. \u201cFor the last 18 months, he\u2019s attacked no one.\u201d<\/p>\n The core cause of autism is still unknown, and medications are generally prescribed to treat the symptoms of the condition, which can include anxiety or aggression. In more severe cases, the medications often offer little relief.<\/p>\n For Aaron Jacobs, a dad of a nine-year-old son with severe autism, marijuana is preferable to the side effects of the medications that are commonly used. Risperidone and Aripiprazole are two of the most frequently prescribed, and are the only FDA-approved medications to treat aggression and irritability in individuals with autism. Side effects include a weakened heartbeat, muscle spasms and even seizures.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is not about drugging our children so that they are manageable,\u201d Jacobs said. \u201cThis is about improving their quality of life, as well as the family\u2019s quality of life, and the right to try a natural, plant-based medicine.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2014 Jacobs noted that autism is a nervous system disorder, and because marijuana chiefly influences the nerve cells throughout that system, he\u2019s hopeful it\u2019ll have a beneficial effect for his son.<\/p>\n \u201cThe potential to help regulate his nervous system naturally could lead to a better quality of life, and possibly some form of independence,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n John Udell, the state director of Arizona\u2019s NORML chapter, which advocates for the legalization and decriminalization of marijuana, lauded the measure, which he said would positively impact the lives of Arizonans across the state. More than 9,000 students in Arizona have been diagnosed with autism.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a medical marijuana patient myself since my Crohn\u2019s disease diagnosis during law school, I know firsthand how much of a difference this bill will make for the many Arizonans with qualifying medical conditions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The bill passed with bipartisan approval by a vote of 7-2. It goes next before the full House of Representatives for consideration.<\/p>\n Because the state\u2019s medical marijuana program was created by voters in 2010, it is subject to constitutional protections limiting how the legislature can change it. Proposals like SB1466, which expand what voters approved, can only become law if they receive support of two-thirds supermajorities in each legislative chamber. The bill received 24 votes in the Senate\u2014more than 20 needed\u2014and must get at least 40 votes if the House formally votes on it.<\/p>\n This story was first published by Arizona Mirror.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n New York Bill To Require Health Insurance Coverage Of Medical Marijuana Clears Assembly Committee<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n Photo courtesy of Mike Latimer.<\/em><\/p>\n The post People With Autism And PTSD Could Qualify For Medical Marijuana Under Arizona Bill That\u2019s Advancing<\/a> appeared first on Marijuana Moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is about improving their quality of life, as well as the family\u2019s quality of life, and the right to try a natural, plant-based medicine.\u201d By Gloria Gomez, Arizona Mirror Arizonans with autism and post-traumatic stress disorder could add marijuana to their medical toolkit under a proposal that expands whoContinue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":457,"featured_media":62898,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[81],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62897"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/457"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=62897"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62897\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":62899,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62897\/revisions\/62899"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/62898"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=62897"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=62897"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=62897"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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\nRead More: People With Autism And PTSD Could Qualify For Medical Marijuana Under Arizona Bill That\u2019s Advancing<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"