The state of Michigan on Monday approved 11 new conditions for treatment with medical marijuana, including arthritis, autism, and chronic pain.
Shelly Edgerton, the director of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs approved the list after a review panel that included physicians and testimonies from people with conditions they wanted approved, the Detroit Free Press reported. The new list now includes 22 total medical conditions that can be treated by the use of medical marijuana, with a doctor’s recommendation.
Post-traumatic stress disorder, cancer, and glaucoma were all on the previous list of ailments. The new list now includes conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, obsessive compulsive disorder, and Parkinson’s, which will all go into effect immediately.
Dr. David Crocker, the founder of Michigan Holistic Health, called the addition of autism to the list “wonderful news,” the Detroit News reported. Crocker explained that marijuana could help patients who are overstimulated to have “a meditative distance.”
According to Scott Badesch, president and CEO of the Autism Society of America, who spoke with the Press, patients should consult with a doctor before using medical marijuana for treatment. Badesch added, “But I have yet to hear from a parent who has said that it hasn’t been helpful for their children with autism to treat things like seizure reduction, anxiety and depression.”
But Edgerton also rejected 11 other medical conditions from the list. Anxiety, asthma, depression, schizophrenia, and panic attacks didn’t make the cut.
Michigan is one of 30 states where marijuana has been legalized for medical purposes. There are currently 289,205 medical marijuana card holders in the state, and voters will see a proposal to legalize marijuana for recreational use on the ballot this fall.
