Colorado OKs medical cannabis to treat autism disorders

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Colorado added autism spectrum disorders to the list of conditions eligible for treatment with medical marijuana, which could help bolster MMJ sales in a market that has declined after the legalization of adult-use cannabis.

Gov. Jared Polis signed a bipartisan bill into law Tuesday after his predecessor, John Hickenlooper, vetoed a similar bill last year, citing a need for more research.

Autism spectrum disorders include autism, Asperger syndrome and other developmental disorders whose symptoms range from mild to severe.

Colorado’s new law makes it easier for minors with disabling conditions to be added to the state’s medical marijuana registry.

One in 59 children in the United States is diagnosed with such disorders, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As adult-use sales are rising in Colorado, medical marijuana sales have been declining – by 20% from $416 million in 2017 to $332 million in 2018, according to state figures.

– Associated Press and Marijuana Business Daily