I agree, but the general consensus is that long term use has detrimental effects on cognition and memory. We have to be careful that this doesn't become adderall/Ritalin part 2, where pts can become dependent. For example, with anorexia I am not surprised at the short-term efficacy - my concern is long term dependency and tolerance.  Opioids are great antidepressants and anxiolytics yet most clinicians do not prescribe them for psychiatric patients except in very special cases, eg extreme OCD.  This is all a risk/benefit analysis, but in the case of THC we often don't know the long term effects but we do know that tolerance will develop that will erode efficacy (in some patients, quite quickly)

Dear Onitra,

I found this link for you

http://drsircus.com/medicine/cancer/medical-marijuana-in-pediatric-medicine-2

Please see this quotation:

"Knocking on death’s door, 10-year-old Joey Perez was slowly dying. The potpourri of prescription medications he’d consumed since the age of five had damaged his body beyond repair – the side effects were literally killing him. Joey was diagnosed with autism at 18 months old. At one point, he was taking six different medications – up to three times a day. As a result of the side effects, Joey became malnourished and was diagnosed with anorexia. Every day, his condition got worse. His eyes were sunken in and you could easily see all the bones in his chest. He was refusing to eat.

At the end of his allopathic treatments his medical prognosis was HIGH PROBABILITY of death within six months. Today Joey is thriving and his mother has been on The Good Morning Show to share that the Compassionate Use of Medical Marijuana saved her son’s life. “Although medical marijuana is not known to be a cure for autism, it has been proven to facilitate ‘life’ for my son and has ushered him into his most progressive developmental period ever.

12 Months After Marijuana Treatments

Today at age 11, Joey is flourishing with new communicative expressions, he’s gained over 40 lbs, and he’s happier, healthier, better behaved and is more productively active than ever before. Before we began to give him treatments of oral marijuana he was a danger to himself and others. He had suffered from anxiety, OCD, and aggression since an early age. At the age of five, Joey was prescribed the first of many ineffective, harmful medications. The medications he was prescribed at that time worked for about a year but Joey refused to eat and that was the beginning of their story. As a result of the serious side effects, Joey became malnourished and was diagnosed with anorexia. It was the famous marijuana brownies that saved my son’s life and it was the doctors and their pharmaceutical medicines that almost killed him.

“It seems to me if one is going to need to use drugs, one ought to consider a relatively safe drug, like marijuana,” said Bernard Rimland, Ph.D. of the Autism Research Institute. Marijuana, the forbidden medicine, seems to be useful for some people with adult attention deficit disorder, impulse disorders and bipolar disorder. Some families have found marijuana to be nothing short of miraculous. Some of the symptoms marijuana has ameliorated include anxiety – even severe anxiety – aggression, panic disorder, generalized rage, tantrums, property destruction and self-injurious behavior. One mother commenting on using marijuana for her autistic child said, “I know it’s not the end all answer but it’s been the best answer for the longest time for us in regards to ALL the other medications. I cannot tell you how many months we would go on a medication wondering if it was doing anything, anything at all. Here we can see the difference in 30-60 minutes guaranteed.”

Patients report medical marijuana as more therapeutic and better tolerated than other medications.[1]

Dr. Rimland continues saying, “Clearly, medical marijuana is not a drug to be administered lightly. But compare its side effects to the known effects of Risperdal, which include massive weight gain, a dramatically increased risk ofDIABETES , and an elevated risk of deadly heart problems, as well as a host of other major and minor problems. Other psychotropic drugs are no safer, causing symptoms ranging from debilitating tardive dyskinesia to life-threatening malignant hyperthermia or sudden cardiac arrest. Of all drugs, the psychotropic drugs are among the least useful and most dangerous, and the benefit vs. risk profile of medical marijuana seems fairly benign in comparison.” He continues, “The reports we are seeing from parents indicate that medical marijuana often works when no other treatments, drug or non-drug, have helped.”

Regards

Hello, Ahmad;  

Thank you so much for this information!  I have been reading about this young man and his mother.  It truly is an amazing story of recovery and love.  My youngest child, Thomas-12, is autistic.  He is no longer aggressive, and no longer has psychotic episodes, and his weight is better than it has ever been.  However, he does suffer side effects of the medications he takes for his disorder (Focalin, Risperdal, and Guanfesine).  The Focalin causes him to have facial ticks/twitches, but this is the only side effect he suffers.  I requested he be placed on Marinol, when he was 6-years-old, but his psychiatrist could not prescribe it, claiming that Missouri Medicaid would not allow him to do so.  I think that it should be the parents' decision as to what medication(s) their children are placed on, not the Medicaid department.  

Again, I sincerely appreciate this information, and will add it to my building work of parent testimonials.

Warmest regards,

Onitra

Hello, Onitra; 

The parents are the child advocate, they are the persons who live with the child, monitor his progress and his response to treatment, and decide what is the best for him. 

 The most important thing is to consider safety issues and using a relatively safe drug (less harmful side effects). Then, the relative effectiveness should be considered in comparison with other treatments. Best wishes for you and your lovely Thomas. 

Warmest regards, 

Ahmad..

Hello, Ahmad;

Thank you for your kind words.  Indeed, it is always best to compare effectiveness, as well as side effects, of all medications that we prescribe to our children.  It is also important to make sure that a pediatrician or other physician assists in the monitoring of the child and the medication(s) he/she is prescribed.  

I value your input, thank you so much!

Best wishes,

Onitra

In my humble opinion, just in medical treatment of serious illnesses THE ENDS JUSTIFY THE MEANS. 

Please see the story of Dawn & judge by yourself. My regards.

http://healthimpactnews.com/2014/how-medical-cannabis-changed-our-lives-a-testimonial/

Medical Marijuana in the Management of Autism:

The endocannabinoid system works to regulate and modulate almost all of the neurotransmitters in your entire body. This group of receptors and their transmitters (endocannabinoids) are involved in most functions of your body including appetite, mood, pain-sensation, thought, memory, and much more. Piomelli and Manzoni have discovered that people with Fragile X syndrome (the most common known genetic cause of autism) have a limited amount of a natural endocannabinoid transmitter compound called 2-AG, which is found naturally in the human brain. This compound is crucial for efficient transport of neural signals to receptors, and affects basic motor/movement skills like walking and talking.

FROM : http://www.medicaljane.com/2013/01/17/medical-marijuana-autism/

Hello, Dr. Ibaguner;

Thank you so very much for the information!  I am fascinated with the fact that our brains contain the 2-AG compound; and even more fascinated that it contributes to basic motor- and movement skills.  I have already loaded the link and will be diving head-first into it very shortly.  Thank you again!

Warmest regards,

Onitra

Marijuana, like opioids and stimulants, have important applications as a medicines.  However, in my opinion, it is irresponsible to refer to cannabis as a "relatively safe drug".   In larger doses, it can lead to psychosis and even death; many in the addiction medicine community believe it is highly "addictive" (whatever that means) and it ruins the lives of many youth, and the minds of many long-term users.  We should not be cavalier about the risks involved, especially with young children, when exposing them to substances that have destroyed the lives of many patients.  Most medications are "relatively safe" when used properly under the supervision of a physician aware of their potential for harming the patient.  Heroin (diacetylmorphine) is "relatively safe" as a painkiller administered by a physician (Diamorph in the UK, illegal in the US), but would you say that it is "relatively safe" in general?

Hello, Mr. Hosea;

Thank you for your input here.  I do appreciate it.  With regard to your question, I believe that medical marijuana, and/or its derivatives, can be 'relatively safe' if prescribed and monitored by a physician/psychiatrist.  I concur with you that marijuana has had detrimental effects on the lives of others; however, it is also my belief that they were not monitored patients, rather, they were users of the drug, in general.  My god daughter had to go to a different state for her prescription, but she is utilizing medical marijuana as an alternative means for treating unipolar disorder.  Medical marijuana has had a much better effect on her, and she has started eating again.  She was near anorexic before utilizing medical marijuana.  

I am not only seeking positive effects here.  I am also seeking any negative effects that parents have observed while their child(ren) are/were taking medical marijuana and/or its derivatives (e.g., Marinol, Dronabinol).  I do believe that under strict monitoring, medical marijuana, Marinol/Dronabinol can be a very effective means of treatment for children with autism.  Your thoughts?

Best,

Onitra

I agree, but the general consensus is that long term use has detrimental effects on cognition and memory. We have to be careful that this doesn't become adderall/Ritalin part 2, where pts can become dependent. For example, with anorexia I am not surprised at the short-term efficacy - my concern is long term dependency and tolerance.  Opioids are great antidepressants and anxiolytics yet most clinicians do not prescribe them for psychiatric patients except in very special cases, eg extreme OCD.  This is all a risk/benefit analysis, but in the case of THC we often don't know the long term effects but we do know that tolerance will develop that will erode efficacy (in some patients, quite quickly)

Agreed; however, in children with autism, the dosage could be quite small, and administered by way of brownies, pizza, scrambled eggs, etc.  It would be a minute dose, just enough to allow the child to calm, to think, to eat.

 My youngest child, Thomas (12) is severely autistic.  He is doing very well now; however, when he was a bit younger, he would throw tantrums unlike those that I have not ever seen.  It was quite difficult to calm him during this time.  He would attack his brother, Joey, whom is only 15 months older than him.  It was terrible; and there was nothing that my ex-husband or I could do about it.  Most times, we just held him in our arms, on our laps and let him scream it out.  I believe that if his psychiatrist would have been able to prescribe Marinol to him, that he would have improved quicker than he has.  Thomas is still non-verbal, for the most part; however, myself and others who are around him the most, can understand nearly every 'word' he speaks.  He still 'babbles,' but does have some vocabulary.  

Thomas was a very small child.  When he was born, he only weighed 5 lbs 12 oz.  He could not maintain his own body temperature, so he had to have an IV inserted into a large vein located in his head (scalp).  It was not until after his last series of inoculations that we noticed something was amiss (15-18 months).  Within two weeks after inoculations, Thomas quit eating table foods (any of them).  He went from eating eggs, bacon, sausage, bologna, even green bean casserole, to eating nearly nothing!  I had him trained to a sip-cup; he regressed back to the bottle.  I knew something was wrong, but was in denial at the time.  When he was finally diagnosed with Autism, he was three-years-old and in preschool.  If Thomas had been allowed Marinol, I believe his eating habits would be different; I believe that he would have gained more weight; and I believe that he would learn better in school.  Medications such as Focalin and Risperdal (which he takes twice a day), help him tremendously.  However, there are side effects (e.g., ticks/twitching) from the aforementioned medications that are not found in medical marijuana/Marinol.  

I believe that there should be a serious study performed.  I also believe that people should maintain an open mind as to the benefits of medical marijuana and its derivatives.

Focalin is a good med - dexmethylphenidate is more targeted and has fewer side effects than Ritalin (methylphenidate). Risperidal, like all atypical antipsychotics, carries risks of dyskinesia, but may be essential. I'm glad that you are seeing therapeutic benefits from the THC.  Best wishes to Thomas!

Thank you for your warm wishes.  Thomas is not on Marinol, however; our state will not allow it to be prescribed while he is on Medicaid.  He is doing well on the Focalin and Risperdal; I only worry over the ticks that he has developed over the past year, or so.  I would like to see how well he would do on Marinol, but until I can afford insurance and no longer have to rely on the state for insurance, Thom will remain on the medications he is currently taking.  I still believe that in small doses, Marinol or medical marijuana is more beneficial to autistic children.  Thank you so much for such a stimulating discussion!  Warm wishes to you, as well. :)

 Thank you so much, Dr. Matar!  I truly appreciate your assistance.  

Warmest regards!

In recent days, the Associations of Psychiatry of Latin America and Spain made the following statement:

1. As scientific community doomed to information, education, prevention and treatment of mental pathology, we report that cannabis use involves risks and is not safe to mental health, particularly in child and adolescent population. We are concerned about the decline in risk perception on this issue, which is installed in the general population.

2. The people who consume cannabis having mental illness should be treated in the health services of our respective countries.

3. At this point the scientific findings that support the therapeutic use of cannabis, albeit there are insufficient and consider that further research should back them up.

4. We consider it essential that in the context of the discussion of public health policies in our countries, scientific societies we called to actively participate in decision-making.

Latin American Psychiatric Association (APAL) Santiago de Chile, June 12, 2015

Hello, Dr. Jerez;

Thank you for your response.  I believe that scientists/experts/professionals here in the US should conduct more studies on the subject.  There is not enough data, in my opinion, showing the positive/negative effects of marijuana/Marinol/Dronabinol on children, or adults, with autism.  There are parent testimonials, yes, but not enough of them.  Marinol has been FDA approved since the early 80s.  However, getting any one physician here in Missouri, USA to prescribe it is like pulling teeth!  

Thank you again for your input; I do value your opinion. :)

I just found this fresh article "Could cannabis help to treat autism spectrum disorders? Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are characterized by difficulty with social interaction, repetitive behaviour and limited empathy with peers. Some forms of autism also lead to cognitive and linguistic impairment, although Asperger’s syndrome is an exception to this. So what role does the endocannabinoid system have to play? [...]" http://sensiseeds.com/en/blog/could-cannabis-help-to-treat-autism-spectrum-disorders

Thank you, Maximilian, for the article!  I am going to read it now.

As for your question, I believe that cannabis can, and does, play a major role in the treatment of autism.  I have accumulated much information pertaining to this and although there are no studies (at least, none that I can locate) at the present time, I feel quite confident that once there are, and results finally surface, that cannabis will be made legal, medically, to all individuals, including those with autism.  Thank you again for the information!! 

Warmest blessings;

Onitra

Here's a link to Sam's Story about Using Medical Cannabis to Treat Autism Spectrum Disorder http://www.letfreedomgrow.com/cmu/SamsStory.htm 

How wonderful; thank you so much, Arthur!  This young man's story reminds me of my Thomas.  It will take me some time to go through the website; however, I have already read most of Sam's story and am definitely keeping it for my research.  Thank you again; God Bless!

There is a wonderful mother to an autistic child who was on the verge of having to consider institutionalizing her. She is a very knowledgeable nurse -- In Oregon -- "Nurse Janna" Champagne. I highly recommend you look her up. She does consultations to other paretns to help provide detailed guidance that you can then take to the doctor or nurse practitioner to review and consider trying. For many children, it is truly amazing. Some of these children are verbal for the first time, smiling, engaging, doing normal activities. It is not easy and not one size fits all. Typically parents are using anywhere from 2 to 4 different formulations, carefully measured and with close support from the healthcare team. And diet matters, gut health matters. I don't know if you still need this information but I just saw your question and wanted to make sure you could contact her, if still needed. Wishing you all the best.