A bill that would allow Coloradans with autism to use medical marijuana cleared its first legislative hurdle Wednesday, January 30, 2019. The bill would add autism spectrum disorder to the list of conditions that qualify a patient to receive a medical marijuana card with a doctor’s recommendation. The bill would also drop the requirement that children seeking to use medical marijuana receive a diagnosis from at least one primary care pediatrician, physician or psychiatrist. A family would still need at least two doctors to sign off on a child having a “disabling medical condition.” This isn’t the first time the Colorado General Assembly is considering the legislation. Last year, a similar bill passed with ease. However, then-Gov. John Hickenlooper, citing concerns from medical professionals, vetoed it. Parents of children with autism and advocates for medical marijuana told lawmakers at the bill’s hearing that they see the treatment as their only option. The new bill now heads to the House floor for debate.
He is a lifetime member of the legal committee for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and has been a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Attorney’s for many years. He is familiar with bail/detention procedures in Bergen (Hackensack), Passaic (Paterson) and Hudson (Jersey City) Counties.