Florida Pediatrician Uses Cannabis to Help People With Autism

Editor’s note: This commentary is provided by the Medical Marijuana Education and Research Initiative (MMERI) of Florida A&M University

In Florida, medical cannabis cannot be specifically used to treat autism because it is not a qualifying condition under state law. However, Dr. David Berger, a Tampa-based pediatrician and qualified medical marijuana physician, notes that individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder often experience symptoms like those of qualifying conditions, such as PTSD.

“For instance, a person with autism may have irritability or obsessive-compulsive disorder or anxiety or insomnia, similar to a person with post-traumatic stress disorder, a qualifying condition. So, we say that a person with autism suffers similarly to those particular symptoms for a person with PTSD,” Dr. Berger explains.

Dr. Berger also advises against using THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive component of cannabis for children. Instead, he advocates for starting treatment with hemp-derived cannabinoids like cannabidiol (CBD) before introducing THC.

His holistic pediatric primary care approach extends to herbal medicines and nutritional and lifestyle therapies for autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity, and related disorders. “Sometimes I have families who say, ‘I don’t want to put pharmaceuticals into my kid. I’d much rather put a natural substance into my kid,’ “ he says.

Dr. Berger emphasizes what he believes are significant benefits of using cannabinoids and medical cannabis for treating children with autism. Unlike pharmaceuticals, which may take two to three weeks to observe effectiveness, cannabinoid treatments allow for assessment within days, allowing for dosage adjustments if necessary.

While smoking medical cannabis is illegal for those under 18, vaping is permitted. Common side effects observed in patients include reduced use of pharmaceuticals, leading to improved functioning and behavior in children, thus alleviating stress on parents.

Visit https://bit.ly/MMERICannabisAndAutism to watch MMERI’s Conversations on Cannabis Virtual Forum featuring board-certified pediatrician and medical marijuana-qualified physician Dr. David Berger discussing “Cannabis as a Treatment for Autism.”