DENVER | Colorado has added autism spectrum disorders to the list of disabling medical conditions eligible for medical marijuana treatment.
Gov. Jared Polis signed a bipartisan bill into law Tuesday. The approval is an about face from last year when a similar bill was vetoed by former Gov. John Hickenlooper, disappointing scores of parents who have held out hope for the treatment.
Polis said during a bill-signing ceremony Tuesday that the measure gives parents the “options and the access” to use medical marijuana as a treatment for autism disorders.
Autism spectrum disorders include autism, Asperger syndrome and other developmental disorders whose symptoms range from mild to severe.
Colorado law also allows medical marijuana use for cancer, glaucoma, HIV, PTSD, seizures and severe pain.
The law makes it easier for minors with disabling conditions to be added to Colorado’s medical marijuana registry. It also encourages state research into medical marijuana’s effectiveness in treating ovarian cancer, dementia and other medical conditions.
