By Dr. Janna Champagne, BCMH, DMCS, BSN, RN (RET)

Tens of thousands of parents in the US choose to administer Cannabis to their child with autism, a seemingly risky prospect considering the complex legalities of medical Cannabis and potential scrutiny by punitive regulations. I’m one of those parents using Cannabis to treat my daughter with autism, and I can personally vouch for the angst and hope that often follows this decision. Fear often strikes while parents maneuver dark gray areas in an attempt to improve our autistic children’s overall existence. In many of these cases, the benefits outweigh any hesitations, and Cannabis wins as the preferred treatment approach.

Navigating Crisis: A Mother's Journey with Medical Cannabis for Autism

As a holistic nurse focused on natural alternatives to pharma, residing in a Cannabis-legal state, learning about medical Cannabis therapy was a logical decision for me. Cannabis quickly became a major life passion after sparing my teen daughter with autism from mandated out-of-home placement due to a sudden onset behavioral crisis with puberty. Safety concerns arose with her high-level behaviors, including self-injury, aggressive attacks, and property destruction. I can attest that there’s nothing more helpless than watching your child suffer to the extent of injuring themselves and others in a blind rage.

Empowering Healing: Educating Patients on the Therapeutic Benefits of Cannabis

Since witnessing the life-improving results in my own child with autism, I have personally educated thousands of Cannabis patients with the goal of optimizing their therapeutic outcomes. For most of my autistic clients, Cannabis has provided safe and effective symptom relief and eased many family crisis situations. As an added bonus, many have replaced potentially harmful mental health pharmaceuticals, thereby alleviating their extreme side effects. When parents learn that Cannabis, used as medicine for thousands of years, has an unsurpassed safety profile and mild, if any, side effects, it’s often the far more appealing option.

Risks of Pharmaceutical Intervention: Exploring the Concerns Surrounding Traditional Autism Medications

Currently, only two pharmaceuticals are FDA-approved for autism, both Antipsychotics named Abilify and Risperidone. In addition, many pharmaceuticals are prescribed as off-label use, including antidepressants (SSRI’s), Anxiolytics/Benzos (Ativan), Stimulants (Ritalin, Adderall), and Anticonvulsants (Lamictal). The mainstream pharmaceutical approach is risky, especially considering these drugs are not approved for use in children, and we have no clue what the long-term effects may be. The declared pharmaceutical side effects are bad enough, with the potential to threaten quality of life (male breast development, extrapyramidal symptoms) or even be life-threatening (suicidal ideation, NMS, SJS). (1) 

Exploring Cannabis Therapy for Addressing Endocannabinoid System Deficiency

In addition to positive patient outcomes and a desirable safety profile, the research also supports Cannabis as an optimal approach for treating autism. (2) (3)  Endocannabinoid System (ECS) Deficiency is a condition termed by Dr Ethan Russo, MD, (4) which possibly contributes to autism. ECS Deficiency means the body is unable to produce enough endocannabinoids, and is lacking these vital nutrients responsible for promoting a state of optimal health balance (aka homeostasis). In addition to producing endocannabinoids, our ECS has receptors to uptake endocannabinoids throughout our bodies. In response to an imbalance, the ECS will produce extra endocannabinoids, and receptor activation intelligently rebalances whatever is out of skew (5). Additionally, a recent research study reflects that supplementation with Cannabis shifts biomarkers associated with autism toward neurotypical baseline. (6)

Unraveling the Therapeutic Mechanisms: How Cannabis Targets Key Areas in Autism Treatment

This balancing influence targets some important areas for treating autism, such as neurotransmitter balance, immune modulation, and decreasing inflammation. (7) (8) (9) (10) Amazingly, when our bodies can’t produce enough endocannabinoids to remain in balance, phytocannabinoids from the Cannabis plant seamlessly and safely replace the deficient endocannabinoids. Since one possible contributor to autism is Endocannabinoid Deficiency, this may help explain why Cannabis is a highly effective therapeutic option (10) by targeting root imbalances. In addition, Cannabis may relieve common symptoms of autism, including anxiety (11) (12) pain (13) and inflammation (14). 

Advocating for Cannabis Accessibility in Autism Care

As we conclude, let us broaden our understanding of the crucial role Cannabis plays in harm reduction for autism. I invite you to stand with me in championing for enhanced legal accessibility and broader utilization of Cannabis for families affected by autism. Together, let's support the mission of 501c3 Autism Safe Haven, ensuring that individuals who benefit from Cannabis supplementation receive the support they deserve, aligning with the ethical standards of medical care. Join us in advocating for a more inclusive and compassionate approach to autism care.

References: 

1. Mercurio, Alana et al. “Marijuana as a Substitute for Prescription Medications: A Qualitative Study.” Substance use & misuse vol. 54,11 (2019): 1894-1902. doi:10.1080/10826084.2019.1618336

2. Silva EAD Junior, Medeiros WMB, Torro N, Sousa JMM, Almeida IBCM, Costa FBD, Pontes KM, Nunes ELG, Rosa MDD, Albuquerque KLGD. Cannabis and cannabinoid use in autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review. Trends Psychiatry Psychother. 2022 Jun 13;44:e20200149. doi: 10.47626/2237-6089-2020-0149. PMID: 34043900; PMCID: PMC9887656.

3. Pietropaolo, Susanna et al. “The role of the endocannabinoid system in autism spectrum disorders: Evidence from mouse studies.” Progress in molecular biology and translational science vol. 173 (2020): 183-208. doi:10.1016/bs.pmbts.2020.04.016

4. Russo, Ethan B. “Clinical Endocannabinoid Deficiency Reconsidered: Current Research Supports the Theory in Migraine, Fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowel, and Other Treatment-Resistant Syndromes.” Cannabis and cannabinoid research vol. 1,1 154-165. 1 Jul. 2016, doi:10.1089/can.2016.0009

5 - Krueger, Dilja D., and Nils Brose. “Home: Cell Press.” Evidence for a Common Endocannabinoid-Related Pathomechanism in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 8 May 2013, www.cell.com/neuron/abstract/S0896-6273(13)00361-9. 

6. Siani-Rose, Michael et al. “Cannabis-Responsive Biomarkers: A Pharmacometabolomics-Based Application to Evaluate the Impact of Medical Cannabis Treatment on Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.” Cannabis and cannabinoid research vol. 8,1 (2023): 126-137. doi:10.1089/can.2021.0129

7. Carbone, Emilia et al. “Healing autism spectrum disorder with cannabinoids: a neuroinflammatory story.” Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews vol. 121 (2021): 128-143. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.12.009

8. Chalystha Yie Qin Lee, Ashley E. Franks, Elisa L. Hill-Yardin, Autism-associated synaptic mutations impact the gut-brain axis in mice, Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, Volume 88, 2020, Pages 275-282,
ISSN 0889-1591,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2020.05.072.

9. Brigida AL, Schultz S, Cascone M, Antonucci N, Siniscalco D. (2017). Endocannabinoid signal dysregulation in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A correlation link between inflammatory state and neuro-immune alterations. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 18(7):1425. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms18071425

10. Nichols, James M, and Barbara L F Kaplan. “Immune Responses Regulated by Cannabidiol.” Cannabis and cannabinoid research vol. 5,1 12-31. 27 Feb. 2020, doi:10.1089/can.2018.0073

11. Campos, A., et al (2017). Plastic and neuroprotective mechanisms involved in the therapeutic effects of cannabidiol in psychiatric disorders. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 8:269. Retrieved online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2017.00269/full 

12. Van Ameringen, Michaela,b; Zhang, Jasmineb; Patterson, Betha,b; Turna, Jasmineb,c,d. The role of cannabis in treating anxiety: an update. Current Opinion in Psychiatry 33(1):p 1-7, January 2020. | DOI: 10.1097/YCO.0000000000000566 

13. Finn, David P et al. “Cannabinoids, the endocannabinoid system, and pain: a review of preclinical studies.” Pain vol. 162,Suppl 1 (2021): S5-S25. doi:10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002268. 

14. Li, Hongbo et al. “The non-psychoactive phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) attenuates pro-inflammatory mediators, T cell infiltration, and thermal sensitivity following spinal cord injury in mice.” Cellular immunology vol. 329 (2018): 1-9. doi:10.1016/j.cellimm.2018.02.016

About Janna, BCMH, DMCS, BSN, RN (RET)

Janna Champagne is a Cannabinoid Science University professor, a board-certified master herbalist, and a retired nurse whose focus is educating patients and medical professionals about the potential benefits of Cannabis. Janna has served thousands of patients through consultations to facilitate an individualized approach to help patients optimize their Cannabis therapy outcomes. She also educates and mentors nurses and other medical professionals on Cannabinoid Science, including accredited content and college level offerings. Janna is a cannabis patient herself with a powerful testimony, and she's well known for her daughter's success in using Cannabis to manage autism symptoms.

Click the Learn More Button 

If you need help with any terminology in this article, you may find some answers in our glossary

Effective Cannabis Newsletter is a platform to educate on the vital role of the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) in one's health. The information is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in or available through this newsletter is for general information purposes only. It is not medical advice; it is health awareness.