The MAMMA organization is working to get autism approved as a qualifying condition for medical marijuana here in Colorado.
MAMMA stands for Mothers Advocating Medical Marijuana for Autism, and they met this evening in downtown Colorado Springs to raise awareness and spread the word.
Right now Delaware is the only state that lists autism as a qualifying condition to receive medical marijuana, and MAMMA is looking to change that.
MAMMA was originally founded in Texas, and some of the founding mothers moved to Colorado to be able to access medical marijuana for their autistic children.
Michelle Walker is the state chapters director of MAMMA, and has a son with autism. “My son would attack us every day, he couldn’t help it … he would punch me, pull my hair, choke me, and it was beyond his control.”
Walker says cannabis has changed her son’s and their family’s lives. “He is more verbal, he is more cognitively aware, it’s just amazing,” she said, “it’s a night and day difference.”
“It’s like someone turned the light switch back on for him,” Walker said.
Margaret Terlaje is the research director for MAMMA, and also has a son with autism.
Terlaje said her son is very aggressive because of his autism, “he had beaten himself so bad that he had to get ear surgery.”
Walker and Terlaje agree that cannabis is not a cure for autism, but it has helped their children immensely.
“It is not a cure. It doesn’t cure autism, and we still have bad days, and we still have bad times, but we are functioning, and that is amazing,” Terlaje said.
credit:420intel.com
