Just what I thought would happen with medical marijuana...

[Archae]

The quacks and kooks fall out of the woodwork.

#1485: Nathan Coombs & Rhonda Morris

If you really want to see an array of quackery in real life like you’ve never seen before you may seek out the anti-vaxx crowd’s annual quackfest Autism One, though you need to be discrete – they are pretty wary of letting in people who have a record of promoting science. Many of the talks and presentations there are devoted to alleged remedies for autism – none of them even remotely connected to reality or real research, of course, and there seems to be few restrictions on what level of insanity is considered acceptable. Take Nathan Coombs and Rhonda Morris’s contribution to the 2011 meeting. Coombs and Morris promote the use of medical cannabis for autism, which I suppose sounds sufficiently zeitgeisty to have the potential for a modicum of popularity. Evidence of efficacy? No, you see, the presentation “is a parent’s personal perspective on the use of medical cannabis on their children with autism, and its effectiveness on symptoms.” Evidence has got nothing to do with it.

Coombs and Morris represent the Autism and Compassionate Care Connection, an organization devoted to “offer individuals with autism and their families a holistic alternative,” meaning cannabis. According to their website they “are highly compassionate and educated professionals with many years of experience” … but none of them have any background in medicine or science. A “Bachelors degree in Spanish Linguistic” or “an Administrative Credential from California State University San Bernardino” isn’t really quite the same.

http://americanloons.blogspot.ca/2015/10/1485-nathan-coombs-rhonda-morris.html

[JackInGreen]

1. So I'll say it

My sons autistic, we've worked with several therapists and doctors, not to fix him by any means he doesn't need 'fixing', but to cope. We've found cannibis edibles effective in reducing anxiety attacks and easing his ability to communicate and helping him 'come out of the autistic shell'.
These folks might be nutty antivaxxers but let's kill the canni-bias shall we?

[jwirr]

3. I have worked with several autistic children and I must say

that I think we are using mj for many stress related illnesses.

Yesterday I visited with my daughter who is epileptic and her foster parents and I talked about what we thought about using mj for her seizures. We talked about the pros and cons.

We all agreed that one of the biggest mj pros would be the muscle relaxation during a seizure that could help. The con was that since she is very mellow it might make her sleep her life away. As far as I know mj has been used mainly for children so I do not know how it would work for an adult.

As to the pain aspect. My grandson uses mj for bi-polar and when talking about the effect on pain he said, "It may not help the pain but it just makes you not give a shit."

We need more research and we need to quit trying to find ways so the big pharma can make some more money off of it.

[greg1024]

5. MJ for seizures

The extract used to treat seizures has very little THC less than 1%

[jwirr]

6. That is good to know I would want her to continue to take

part in life to the extent that she can. I have always discouraged experimentation with drugs if they prevent life as normal as possible and many drugs cause dehydration.

I would like to see what mj does - just waiting for MN to make it easier to get.

[riderinthestorm]

4. +10000 nt

[HassleCat]

2. I suppose stoned kids are OK

If the children have severe autism, they might be calmer and quieter when stoned. Since there is not much conventional medicine can do for them, it's probably not a big deal if Mom and Dad get them high. What concerns me is the possibility that the kids could be functional with the right help, and the parents are ignoring the possibilities.