Haven’t you heard? April showers bring May flowers and Autism Awareness Month! As a company, our goal this month is to bring about awareness, promote acceptance and help assure that all those affected by autism have access to the services and support they need to live a high quality, successful life that everyone deserves.
Autism looks very different on each and every person which is why it can be so hard to diagnose. Many have lived with autism for years and not received a diagnosis until their teenage years or young adulthood, if even at all. Autism Awareness Month helps to create attention and understanding for this disorder and those dealing with its characteristics every day.
What is Autism?
Autism is a developmental disorder that has lifelong, complex effects. Autism typically appears in early childhood but, as we know, can be diagnosed much later in life. It influences one’s social and communication skills, relationships, and self-regulation. Autism affects people differently because it is a “spectrum condition” which means that it is defined by a set of specific behaviors that impact people with autism to varying degrees.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued its ADDM autism prevalence report in 2018 which concluded that the prevalence of autism had risen to 1 in every 59 which is twice as much as it was in 2004 when the rate was 1 in 125. This rise could be attributed to a number of factors such as more girls getting diagnosed, ethnic and racial differences narrowing and less stigma surrounding the diagnosis. Whatever the reason behind this rise, awareness is the key to early diagnosis and helps one with autism receive access to the support and services that they need to live their best life!
How Can Medical Marijuana Help Autism?
There has always been a large body of anecdotal evidence showing that medical marijuana is an effective treatment for autism since autistic people and their caretakers have increasingly experimented with marijuana and it’s products such as CBD and hemp oils. Many have seen first hand how marijuana can help alleviate autism related issues. Although a lot of the evidence is anecdotal, there is more and more research being done supporting these conclusions as well.
Understanding exactly how medical marijuana can help autism can be difficult so let’s look a little bit at the science behind it! Everyone has an endocannabinoid system (ECS) which manages bodily functions. The ECS makes cannabinoids which attach to the CB1 and CB2 cell receptors in the body. When these two receptors receive the cannabinoids, they then send signals to the rest of the system. When one’s ECS is behaving abnormally, health conditions can occur.
This is where medical marijuana comes in! Medical marijauana naturally carries cannabinoids which can be used to treat health conditions. Medical marijuana can also help those dealing with autism by alleviating other conditions that often come hand in hand with the disorder. Oftentimes, autistic people have trouble with insomnia, anxiety, depression, epilepsy, chronic pain and more. These are all conditions that medical marijuana can help with!
How Can I Help Raise Awareness About Autism?
Here are some ways that you can help raise awareness for autism this month and every month:
Take a free class to get educated on what autism is.
Support and spread awareness on sensory friendly films at AMC which offers a safe and accepting environment every month.
Attend events and group meetings through your local affiliate network.
Share The Autism Source™ Resource Database with people you know and on social media to help those with autism get credible resources they need.
Is Autism a Qualifying Condition in West Virginia?
Unfortunately, autism is not a qualifying condition for medical marijuana treatment in West Virginia. But there is still hope! Every so often new bills are proposed to add more conditions to the qualifying conditions list. Whenever states review qualifying condition applications, autism is often one people submit. Over the years, other states have added autism to their qualifying conditions list adding to the validity of medical marijuana treatment for autism. With hope and advocacy in hand, we will see autism on the list soon!
How Do I Get My Medical Marijuana Card?
In West Virginia, you qualify to use medical marijuana to treat your medical condition with a recommendation from a doctor. Join the thousands of patients who have found relief through the use of therapeutic cannabis!
West Virginia Marijuana Card offers medical marijuana evaluations and guidance from trained doctors and staff who are ready to answer your questions right now. Give us a call at (877) 303-8424, or schedule a medical marijuana evaluation appointment online today!
You can also stay connected and educated on all things medical marijuana in West Virginia by following our Instagram, Facebook and Twitter accounts!