Cannabis for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

For many people who have ASD, it impacts the way that they process the different sensory aspects, and the associations that they have with others. About 1% of the total  population of the world has ASD. Some different studies have looked to see if cannabis may help. Some agree that more trials for humans need to be conducted before they can deem it safe enough for those who have ASD. In this, we’ll look at whether or not it can help, and what current science says. 

What ASD IS 

ASD is basically a disorder that involves how someone communicates with their entire world. Some people with autism might: 

• Have issues interacting and communicating with others 

• Struggle to understand the feelings of others 

• Struggle with sensory stimuli, and feel uncomfortable or overwhelmed when there are loud noises or lights that are bright 

• Get anxious and stressed when something unexpected or out of the routine happens 

• Require more explanation and things might take a bit longer for them to understand. 

• They act inside different patterns, or they do the same thinking oftentimes 

Autism is not a disease or illness, and it doesn’t’ prevent someone from doing well with life. They usually figure out what they’re good at and what they do struggle with at times too. Some of them have average levels of intelligence, some above average, and some may have a learning disability in some cases. Some may need a little bit of support, or none, others might need help on the daily 

Autism is also not curable, and there is no major cause of this. It’s said that it may be genetic in origin. 

Cannabis for autism 

In the last decade or so, more and more experimentation with the utilization of cannabis in the world of autism has come forward. There is some research which suggests that cannabis can help with some of the possible characteristics of autism. 

This is because the ECS does regulate a lot of the various homeostasis aspects of a person, and for those with autism, it can sometimes help with controlling and mitigating these feelings. 

CBD is one that is good as an agonist, and it will stimulate some of the CB1 receptor aspects and binds to this. It also I pacts some of the receptors outside of where the ECS is, including your serotogenic system, and this can actually be multifaceted. According to a 2018 study that it was found that when you used a transdermal patch to help those with autism, it would reduce the feelings of anxiety. It also helped those who struggled with seizures, so for  with autism who struggle with seizures, it can definitely be worthwhile to possibly try. 

THC is something that can be psychotropic, so it’s not generally used on those who are younger. However, small dosages of this can help. It can help with improving the behavior of those with autism, and it did impact and improve the lives of some young teenagers and children who struggled with autism. The risks are definitely possible. It can impact cognition for those who are adolescent. 

Within the world of research, CBD is definitely good for this. When you use it safely, it does well. However, there isn’t enough research on what the cannabinoids do on the body period, and the brain of those teenagers, and there is also the interactions of prescription drugs. Right now, we’re still tin the formative stage of this, and it’s important to understand that medical cannabis is definitely a useful tool. Hopefully, we can learn more about the impact of this on autism.