Three young men with autism developed mania or psychosis after using cannabis products
Three young adult males with autism spectrum disorder developed mania or psychosis after consistent use of CBD and THC products, raising concerns about cannabis safety in this population.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
All three patients had ASD and developed mania or psychotic symptoms after consistent cannabis use containing both CBD and THC. The cases raise concerns about the safety of cannabis in ASD, particularly given the active interest in cannabinoid treatments for behavioral symptoms in this population.
Key Numbers
Three patients, all young adult males with ASD. Products contained both CBD and THC. All developed mania or psychosis requiring clinical attention.
How They Did This
Case series describing three young adult males with ASD who developed psychiatric emergencies after cannabis use. Clinical courses documented.
Why This Research Matters
There is growing interest in using cannabis products for behavioral symptoms in ASD, but these cases suggest individuals with ASD may be vulnerable to serious psychiatric adverse effects.
The Bigger Picture
The enthusiasm for cannabinoid treatments in ASD outpaces the evidence. These cases underscore the need for controlled trials before recommending cannabis to this potentially vulnerable population.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Only three cases. Cannot establish causation. No control for other factors. Pre-existing psychiatric vulnerability in ASD may be a confounder. Exact product compositions not fully detailed.
Questions This Raises
- ?Are individuals with ASD more susceptible to cannabis-induced psychosis?
- ?Is the risk from THC specifically, or could CBD also contribute in this population?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- All three ASD patients developed mania or psychosis after consistent cannabis use
- Evidence Grade:
- Small case series that cannot prove causation but raises important safety signals.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2022.
- Original Title:
- Brief Report: Suspected Cannabis-Induced Mania and Psychosis in Young Adult Males with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
- Published In:
- Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 52(9), 4164-4171 (2022)
- Authors:
- Al-Soleiti, Majd, Balaj, Kayla, Thom, Robyn P, McDougle, Christopher J, Keary, Christopher J
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03660
Evidence Hierarchy
Describes what happened to one person or a small group.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Is cannabis safe for people with autism?
These cases suggest caution. Three young men with ASD developed mania or psychosis after using cannabis products, though larger controlled studies are needed to understand the risk.
Should cannabis be used to treat autism symptoms?
The authors recommend waiting for large-scale randomized controlled trials before using cannabis in ASD, given these psychiatric adverse events.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03660APA
Al-Soleiti, Majd; Balaj, Kayla; Thom, Robyn P; McDougle, Christopher J; Keary, Christopher J. (2022). Brief Report: Suspected Cannabis-Induced Mania and Psychosis in Young Adult Males with Autism Spectrum Disorder.. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 52(9), 4164-4171. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-05254-8
MLA
Al-Soleiti, Majd, et al. "Brief Report: Suspected Cannabis-Induced Mania and Psychosis in Young Adult Males with Autism Spectrum Disorder.." Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-05254-8
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Brief Report: Suspected Cannabis-Induced Mania and Psychosis..." RTHC-03660. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/al-soleiti-2022-brief-report-suspected-cannabisinduced
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.