The Debate Over Marijuana Treatment for ADHD, Autistic Kids
Lately there has been a small burst of media fascination with what by most
accounts is a rare occurrence: Use of medical marijuana recommended by a
physician by patients under 18. Any psychoactive drug, including marijuana,
should be used with caution in children, but there is no reason that these
infrequent cases should be shocking. Indeed, they should be taken as signposts
on the road to urgently-needed research.
Sad as it is to contemplate, kids do get deadly illnesses like cancer and
AIDS. Medical marijuana dispensary operator Charles Lynch faced an enhanced
federal prison sentence for providing medical marijuana to 17-year-old cancer
patient Owen Beck, who survived his cancer partly thanks to Lynch’s help, and
who attempted to testify on Lynch’s behalf but was barred from doing so.
And millions of young
people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have been prescribed
stimulants like Ritalin and Adderall, whose side effects can include
psychotic symptoms and interference with growth, not to mention sudden death
when used by patients with some preexisting heart conditions.
Unfortunately, a story in Sunday’s New York Times
looking at marijuana as a treatment for young people with ADHD managed to avoid
shedding much light on the issue. Instead, the focus seemed to be on sensational
quotes (”worst idea ever,” “safer than aspirin”) rather than a serious look at
the science.
Writer Kathy Ellison did briefly reference a study in the journal Schizophrenia Research, but
without properly explaining it. Of the 25 young people with ADHD in this study,
the marijuana users scored healthier than non-users on nearly every measure of
mental functioning, including specific measures of hyperactivity and
disorganization. This was particularly striking because in the same study a
separate group of individuals at genetic risk for schizophrenia were made worse
by marijuana.
The published study includes a discussion of the biochemical
mechanisms by which marijuana might help ADHD. This is consistent with published case reports that have found a
beneficial of THC on ADHD.
Meanwhile, ABC’s “Good Morning America” did a
more respectful job in reporting on the mom of an autistic child who says that a
small amount of marijuana, administered under a doctor’s care, has literally
saved her child’s life. Others have told similar stories.
We don’t know nearly enough yet to state definitively that marijuana is
helpful for youthful ADHD and autism. But we do know enough to say that proper
research is urgently needed, and that this is a serious enough issue that the
media need to treat it seriously.
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I would definitely sign my 11 year old up for this study. He is ADHD Bipolar with violent tendencies. I would be willing to do whatever it took to help my son . Any parent who says otherwise and would prefer to force their child to suffer has no heart. My son has chased me with knives and scissors crying the whole time because he didn't want to hurt mommy but he couldn't stop himself.
baby76--
Why on earth would you see marijuana as the only alternative to chasing you with knives and scissors?
If you also have ADHD (it is 76% heritable), you need to get your symptoms under control so you can help your child. Otherwise, you risk seeing how important this is, learning how to get help for him, and following through on getting it.
The consequences of untreated ADHD and bi-polar can be severe. Please get help for him NOW.
Yes my son inherited his adhd bipolar disorder from his "father". I do get help for him. He is seeing an independant psychiatrist as well as the school psychiatrist. He has been on adderall and strattera. He has several exercises he does when he feels "out of control". He is a good kid with a big heart and he loves his family and his life. My husband (his stepfather) has been an excellent role model. They go fishing , camping, fourwheeling and do alot of male bonding activities. He is number two of four boys and he will tell you he is mama's baby . His problems are purely psychological.
We are living the American dream and he has all the oppurtunities as any other middle class child. I do fear for the younger two boys and myself when my son becomes out of control.
I am not saying that this is the only alternative. I am saying that the others have not worked for him and I would be willing to try this method.
Therefore, do not judge someone without knowing the facts. For that matter, do not judge me at all. You do not know me or my life.
Hello,
I just stumbled on to this page while I was doing some medicinal marijuana research . I am raising a grandchild who has lived with me his whole life and was diagnosed as ADHD,ODD, and high functioning Autism at age 4. He has been on a variety of drugs , the longest has been Concerta & Citalopram. Although the Concerta has somewhat controlled his agression and hyperactivity, it has not controlled his outbursts satisfactorily. He is now 15 yrs old and has been on probation with juv court for the last 3 years. He has never been able to attend a "normal" public school , and has been kicked out of several alternative schools . I have no idea where he will be attending school this fall. Unlike you, I have no one to help me with this child . His parents have abandoned him and I have done my best to raise him by myself. I live in fear when he has a "meltdown". I have had knives held to my throat and have slept with one eye open when his meds have worn off. I have wished for a residential treatment center for this boy , but have been told there is "no money in the system" for it. As a last resort, I am checking into Marinol, which is the synthetic form of THC. I will be asking the psychiatrist about it when we see her next. I'm sure she will nix the idea, but it's worth a shot. I don't know how much longer I can live with this out of control child,who is a lot bigger than me.
I know you posted this back in Dec 09, but I am hoping you will see my post and let me know if you had any luck in locating a place that offered to help kids like ours. I see no future for this boy who is excessively hyper and very unsocialized.
With the present system in place,the DEA will not allow any studies on marijuana that might show medical applications,and they are the final word on getting the studies done. They control the marijuana used for the study and it is grown in a federal program at the University of Mississippi,and is very inferior to the "medical" marijuana that the dispensaries and clinics are capable of producing,
Only when marijuana is removed from schedule 1,will the necessary studies and testing for the multitude of health applications claimed by marijuana advocates be proven or debunked.
I have a 14 year old boy living next door to me that takes Ritalin
and the Ritalin seems to be doing the job,for him.
I am not acquainted with the side effects if Ritalin,but I can vouch for marijuana being safe enough that if it didn't work,it would have very little,if any damaging effects on the child.
The memory loss problems that prohibitionists claim endanger our society are still unknown to me,and I have never heard of anyone claiming they don't remember what they did while on a binge of marijuana consumption. This is not scientific proof that marijuana doesn't cause memory loss,but after 42 years of smoking marijuana,I have many memories that I wish I could forget,mostly memories of friends losing everything because the gestapo drug cops took everything they owned.
The proper way to take marijuana as a medication is to ingest it,it takes less to do the job and bypasses the possible lung damage that prohibitionists are so scared of. And many of the medical marijuana users in the states where it is alloed are eating their medicine ,but you won't hear the DEA or ONDCP or NIDA ever say that eaten marijuana isn't medicine. They only attack marijuana with something they think sounds dangerous. And how could you ever convince anyone that eating 1/2 gram of marijuana would cripple anyone for life?
In over 40 years of active clinical psychiatric practice, having seen thousands of MJ abusers with and without dependency [during my many years as Medical Director of Chemical Dependency and Substance Abuse Treatment programs], I can report with certainty that some individuals do absolutely become physiologically addicted to MJ.
Some more than others, - yes, not everyone.
Addiction and abuse potentials nevertheless remain a serious concern in this debate. And those that take the next step in denial and claim that MJ is not amotivational, and does not impair working memory, simply have no extensive experience with MJ. I wonder if they have listened to Saturday Night Live?
If you stretch a bit and read the gluten/immunity literature, even superficially, you will quickly see that many individuals can become physiologically addicted to gluten in wheat, and that opiate connections downstream can create significant problems with withdrawal from bread as well.
Why would anyone deny, in the context of abundant clinical experience, that addiction to MJ does not occur?
The neurophysiology for addiction is there, especially if MJ does not address the underlying problem, but simply, as it does, fix some of the symptoms.
My take on this discussion is that studies with small n numbers can tell you a lot about very little, - and controls in those studies regularly do not parallel life experience in the office - do not portray the pain and suffering we have seen for years out on the streets.
Studies rarely deal with individuals over years, simply because those studies are so costly, and those years tell the tale with users that begin in junior high.
The other main point: ADHD itself is often 'only a symptom' of complex underlying neurophysiology, - a complexity often missed even with current excellent ADHD medications. Why would anyone recommend even more superficial thinking and treatments for appearances rather than full investigation of specific neurotransmitter imbalances?
Casual/recreational drugs for complex presentations?
MJ to treat ADHD? More of the same: Not paying attention to paying attention.
As the percentage of addicts on marijuana are lower than addiction to alcohol and cigarettes per 100 users,and the number of people that voluntarily go to rehab for marijuana addiction are nearly non-existent. The majority of marijuana addicts treated are mandatory treatment ordered by the judicial system or job related
drug abuse programs,which you depend on apparently to make a living. If marijuana was legal ,your statistics would be what?
And the list above of all the problems caused by marijuana would disappear if marijuana were legalized(no piss test for marijuana,no problems with employment. No arrest record for a non-violent victimless crime ,no refused "better" job for milions of Americans .
But you prohibitionists better get active,your fixing to lose your rice bowl.
Clay,
My piece, my point, is regarding ADHD, treatment for ADHD, and the inappropriate use of MJ to treat ADHD, esp in children and adolescents - I did not address these other multiple issues that apparently occupy your table, not mine.
The number who go to rehab is not a relevant marker to the problems experienced with ADHD as I did outline. Even mild consistent abuse, even without blunts and 'addiction' per se, can prove very destructive to the lives of children and adolescents.
Your significant disregard for these most relevant issues discussed in the article, whilst focusing only the other legal and punitive issues, seems to completely miss the focus of this entire discussion.
'Prohibitionist' does not well characterize my remarks, appears reductionist and categorical, - two perspectives so commonly found in a closed mind that thinks in labels not solutions.
Black and white thinking over time is a profound relapse trigger.
cp
Maybe the people who are addicted to marijuana lack the motivation to get themselves to rehab, thus accounting for the lower voluntary rehab rate. ;-)
Gina