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Board approves autism spectrum disorder as qualifying condition for adults in medical-marijuana program
Summary
After public comment from a nurse practitioner who described symptom improvement on CBD/THC tinctures, the board voted to add autism spectrum disorder to the program’s list of debilitating conditions for adults only.
The Connecticut Medical Marijuana Program’s Board of Physicians voted to add autism spectrum disorder to the state’s list of debilitating conditions for adults.
Cheyenne, a Connecticut nurse practitioner who participates in the program and petitions on behalf of patients, told the board she was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder as an adult and that a CBD/THC tincture substantially improved her symptoms. “My whole life, I’ve been on and off different medications because of insurance. The side effects have been awful,” Cheyenne said, and added that cannabis allowed her to stop several medications and improved insomnia and anxiety.
Board members asked about safety, dosing and whether other states have set precedents. Rod Marriott, the program’s drug control director, and board members noted that about 17 other states had allowed autism spectrum disorder in some form, per the petitioner’s summary, and that the board typically confines approvals to the age group specified by a petition. The board clarified that the petition under consideration applied only to adults; the pediatric question (under-18 patients) was not before them.
A motion to approve the petition for adult patients was moved and seconded during the public hearing and carried by voice vote; members indicated assent by saying “aye.” The board recorded that the condition meets the program’s regulatory standard for a debilitating medical condition and that marijuana is more likely than not to provide benefit for the condition as presented to the board.
Discussion versus decision: the board heard testimony and clinical observations from the petitioner and asked clarifying questions about dose, product forms and whether the condition had existing evidence from other states. The formal action taken was the board vote to approve autism spectrum disorder as a qualifying adult condition.
Staff will circulate paperwork related to the approval and follow up offline with administrative steps needed to add the condition to the program’s materials.
