Ohio medical marijuana: State board rejects autism, anxiety as treatable conditions

Ohio’s list of medical marijuana conditions grew by one on Wednesday.

But advocates of adding anxiety and autism spectrum disorder to the list of treatable conditions were left disappointed.

The Ohio State Medical Board approved adding cachexia, a wasting syndrome marked by severe weight loss, to the 21 conditions for which patients can treat with medical marijuana if recommended by a physician. It is the first time a new condition has been added since the law was passed in 2016.

The board’s decision took effect immediately.

Cachexia usually accompanies other chronic conditions. A few of those, including cancer and AIDS, were already approved for medical marijuana use. Symptoms include changes in taste, loss of appetite and nausea.

“Eating is a source of enjoyment for patients and its a means to socialize with family and friends,” board president Dr. Michael Schottenstein said before the board voted via videoconference. “Patients socially isolate when they can’t eat.”

Cachexia is treated with a pharmaceutical drug dronabinol, which is a synthetic form of cannabis compound THC. Schottenstein said medical marijuana is less potent and less expensive than dronabinol. [Read more at The Cincinnati Inquirer]