Should Teens with Tourette Syndrome Try Medical Cannabis? Experts Urge Caution
While cannabis shows promise for tic management in adults with Tourette syndrome, using it in adolescents raises serious concerns about psychosis risk and should require exhausting standard treatments first.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Two feasibility studies of cannabis for adolescent Tourette syndrome readily recruited participants but did not require prior trials of standard evidence-based treatments, raising ethical concerns given cannabis-psychosis associations in youth.
Key Numbers
Two feasibility studies have been published on cannabis for adolescent Tourette syndrome, with no explicit requirement for prior standard treatment trials.
How They Did This
Editorial commentary analyzing two published feasibility studies of cannabis for adolescents with Tourette syndrome, with focus on ethical and safety considerations.
Why This Research Matters
The gap between adult evidence and adolescent safety is critical — the developing teenage brain is particularly vulnerable to cannabis-related harms, especially psychosis risk.
The Bigger Picture
This reflects a broader tension in cannabinoid medicine: promising adult results don't automatically translate to safe adolescent use, and research protocols must account for developmental neurotoxicity risks.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Commentary piece rather than original research; based on analysis of only two feasibility studies.
Questions This Raises
- ?Should cannabis trials in adolescents require failure of standard treatments first?
- ?How should psychosis risk be monitored in adolescent cannabis studies?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Evidence Grade:
- Expert editorial commentary with limited underlying evidence from two small feasibility studies, no controlled efficacy data in adolescents.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2026, reflecting the current state of an emerging but cautionary area of pediatric cannabinoid research.
- Original Title:
- Investigating medical cannabis for adolescents with Tourette syndrome: tread carefully.
- Published In:
- BJPsych open, 12(1), e45 (2026)
- Authors:
- Abi-Jaoude, Elia(2)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-08061
Evidence Hierarchy
Frequently Asked Questions
Does cannabis help with Tourette syndrome tics?
In adults, there is emerging evidence that cannabis may help manage tics. However, evidence in adolescents is extremely limited, and experts urge that standard treatments should be tried first.
Why is cannabis use riskier for teenagers?
Regular cannabis use in adolescents is associated with increased risk of psychosis and other mental health effects, as the developing brain is more vulnerable to cannabinoid exposure.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-08061APA
Abi-Jaoude, Elia. (2026). Investigating medical cannabis for adolescents with Tourette syndrome: tread carefully.. BJPsych open, 12(1), e45. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2025.10959
MLA
Abi-Jaoude, Elia. "Investigating medical cannabis for adolescents with Tourette syndrome: tread carefully.." BJPsych open, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2025.10959
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Investigating medical cannabis for adolescents with Tourette..." RTHC-08061. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/abi-jaoude-2026-investigating-medical-cannabis-for
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.