Pro

Jay Cavanaugh, PhD, National Director of the American Alliance for Medical Cannabis, wrote the following in his Sep. 2002 article "For the Sake of the Children," published on the website of the American Association of Medical Cannabis:

“[C]annabis can provide unique help with some childhood disorders including cancer but also attention deficit disorder and autism.

These latter disorders are currently treated with powerful stimulants such as amphetamine in the first case and with brain numbing toxic preparations such as Haldol in the case of autism….

Imagine a child being given half a dozen psychotropic drugs from Prozac to Haldol to Valium and who continues to break down doors and assault others seemingly without provocation who now responds to therapy with medical cannabis. Imagine the parents of such children contemplating a lock up for their beloved child who now sees that child calm and functional.

Loving parents will demand that cannabis be provided to the arsenal their pediatricians and pediatric neurologists already have.

The message to our sick and suffering children is that we love them. The love is greater than any blind acceptance of the existing wrongful beliefs about cannabis that are merely the propaganda of cultural elitists.

As loving parents, these folks are willing to risk the wrath of Child Protective Services, the actions of the DEA [Drug Enforcement Administration], and the ignorance of their own physicians.”

Sep. 2002