Medical Cannabis for Autism in Ohio: Coming Soon

Ohio lawmakers have overwhelmingly passed a bill that will allow patients to receive medical marijuana as treatment for autism. The bill which was passed by a vote of 73-13 is now headed to the state senate.

This bill was sponsored by lawmakers from both sides of the divide; a democrat and republican. The democratic co-sponsor, State House Rep Juanita Brent commented that the lawmakers consented to the needs of those who are on the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Ohio.  “It will help ensure legal access to a plant-based solution free from costly prescription medications or other outdated and sometimes harmful treatments.” According to the sponsors of the bill, if the legislature fails to heed to the public outcry this issue will resurface in the ballot.

Ohio legalized medical cannabis way back in 2016 when the General Assembly passed House Bill 523 which was then signed into law on 6^th June by Governor John Kasich. Several improvements have been made to the medical cannabis program in Ohio over time. If this new bill becomes law, Ohio will be joining 17 other states that have ASD as a qualifying condition for medical cannabis treatment. Currently, the state has approved this form of treatment for conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, and PTSD among others.

This recent development is a major win for cannabis advocates in the Buckeye state. In 2020, a similar bill that sought to have anxiety disorders and autism included in the list of qualifying conditions was rejected by the State Medical Board.

At the same time, the State Senate has also passed a separate bill that will allow patients on the autism spectrum to access the medical cannabis program in the state. The bill which was passed last December recommends that physicians in Ohio be given the liberty to prescribe medical cannabis for “any condition if the physician, in the physician’s sole discretion and medical opinion, finds either of the following”: “that the patient’s symptoms may reasonably be expected to be relieved from medical marijuana” and “that the patient may otherwise reasonably be expected to benefit from medical marijuana.”

The bill will drastically expand the list of qualifying conditions for medical marijuana treatment in Ohio. If passed, more states will motivated to push for the expansion of their medical marijuana programs.