When talking about autism treatment, people are discussing treatment for young people under the age of 18. Because of this, CBD has been the focus of treatment for Autism because it’s not intoxicating. But is Cannabis as effective? More effective?
Research suggests CBD is effective in managing symptoms of Autism. It has been used for individuals under 18 years when they have been resistant to other traditional treatment methods. Numerous parents have shared their stories about CBD’s positive impacts on their children with Autism. Read one of those stories here.
We do know, in many cases, using CBD and THC together can have more profound effects due to interacting with different receptors in the body. As cannabis becomes less stigmatized and research continues to support its use for various therapeutic treatments, the amount of clinical research expands.
New Study Suggests THC May Be More Effective than CBD in Treating Autism
In a 2019 Israel study, young people were given cannabis oil that consisted of 30% CBD and 1.5% THC. The average age of participants was 13 years old, though several participants were under the age of 5 years. They found many of the participants experienced an improvement in their symptoms over six months, and it was well tolerated as a treatment method. While some of the participants did experience some side effects, they appeared to be mild, with the most common side effect being restlessness.
Following this study, researchers wanted to determine whether or not THC could be more effective in treating symptoms of Autism.
In an animal model, symptoms of Autism were alleviated with the use of cannabis oil and improved both behavioural and biochemical parameters of Autism. Researchers specifically noted an improvement in compulsive and anxious behaviours. The researchers also stressed the importance of the THC component in the improvements.
Final Thoughts on Cannabis and Autism
More research is necessary to understand the relationship between cannabis and Autism. Still, it shows promise in providing relief of symptoms for young people without adverse effects. We hope to see this research continue.
As for what happens in terms of the use of THC for people under 18 years, we will have to see. I don’t think anyone is suggesting young people smoke cannabis. However, small amounts of THC used in combination with CBD oil may be more effective in treating symptoms of Autism. It’s worth considering.