Israeli researchers have found strong evidence that medical cannabis is an effective therapy for children on the autism spectrum. In a study due to be published soon in the journal Neurology, they treated autistic children with highly concentrated CBD from cannabis.

The condition of 80% of the children improved. The children had not improved with conventional drug treatments.

Study details

Led by Dr. Adi Aran, director of pediatric neurology at Shaare Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem, the study treated 60 children with high-CBD cannabis oil containing 20% CBD and 1% THC for at least seven months.

After treatment, parents answered assessment questionnaires characterizing their children's condition. Questions covered behavioral changes, anxiety levels and communication ability.

The results were:

  • 80% of parents recorded a reduction in problematic behavior; 62% reported significant improvements.
  • Half the children improved their communication.
  • Significant reductions in anxiety were reported in 40%.

The study's beginnings and autism

Israel has an important place in medical cannabis research, and Dr. Aran is a pioneer in its use for autism. He originally began his project in 2017 to test 120 autistic children. It was the world's first study of its kind, made possible by Israeli government funding and a progressive approach to medical cannabis research.

“When news of the study spread, waiting lists filled with families from across Israel wanting to participate,” Dr. Aran said.

Autism spectrum disorders are neurodevelopmental conditions that generally emerge in infancy or early childhood and last a lifetime. In more severe cases, symptoms such as compulsive, repetitive behavior and impaired social and communication skills can be debilitating. Some children cannot speak at all. Autism affects approximately 1% of people worldwide.

Autism's causes are not understood, and there is no cure. Doctors traditionally treat symptoms with antipsychotic medicines that have harmful side effects. Unfortunately, some children never respond to them.

Dr. Aran began small autism studies following medical cannabis research into epilepsy, a condition affecting approximately 20% of autistic children. While studying epilepsy, researchers discovered that some cannabis compounds might also help with certain autism symptoms. Fewer than 2% of the general population has epilepsy, but rates among autistic people can reach 33%.

Although scientists do not clearly understand the connection, they believe the different brain development in autistic children is more likely to create circuits that cause epileptic seizures.

This connection has led many parents to seek medical cannabis treatments for their autistic children. Parents have anecdotal evidence of CBD oils' effectiveness, but mainstream medicine remains skeptical because of limited data.

What comes next in CBD research?

In 2015, Harvard University and Boston Children's Hospital published a review of medical cannabis and autism research to date, finding promise. However, it concluded with a caution that medical cannabis should be used only as a last resort after conventional treatments fail. Potential harmful side effects have indeed created widespread reluctance to study its effects in children.

Since 2015, only a few small studies have produced promising results. One major inspiration for future research was FDA approval of a CBD oil-based medicine made by British developer GW Pharmaceuticals for two rare childhood epilepsies. Scientists noted the extraordinary body of evidence the company presented on the medicine's effects.

Dr. Orrin Devinsky, a New York University neurologist researching Epidiolex, is currently conducting two studies of CBD's effects in children aged 5–18 with moderate to severe autism.

Because autism and epilepsy often occur together, CBD shows promise for treating both conditions.