A review for pediatricians on medical marijuana found limited evidence and significant brain development concerns for children | Research

The takeaway

While families increasingly ask about cannabis for developmental and behavioral conditions in children, the evidence base is thin and the risks to the developing adolescent brain are well-documented.

Read this if you're a parent considering cannabis products for your child's developmental or behavioral condition.

Evidence for pediatric medical cannabis described as a "dearth"

What the researchers found

This review for developmental-behavioral pediatricians examined three domains: cannabis use epidemiology among youth, neurocognitive effects in adolescents, and proposed medical uses in pediatric conditions.

Regular cannabis use among adolescents was associated with well-recognized neurocognitive changes, with the developing brain being particularly susceptible due to the endocannabinoid system's role in normal neurodevelopment. The review highlighted attention, memory, and executive function as domains most consistently affected.

For proposed medical uses in conditions like ADHD and autism spectrum disorder, the evidence was described as a "dearth." The authors identified a significant gap between parent interest in medical cannabis for children and the available scientific evidence to guide clinical decisions.

Why it matters

Pediatricians are increasingly fielding questions from parents about medical cannabis for their children. This review provides a framework for evidence-based responses that acknowledge both the limited therapeutic evidence and the documented neurodevelopmental risks.

The numbers in context

Conditions reviewed: ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and other developmental-behavioral diagnoses. Evidence for pediatric medical uses described as a "dearth." Neurocognitive risks well-documented for adolescent users.

How the study worked

Narrative review examining epidemiology of cannabis use among children and adolescents, neurocognitive effects of regular cannabis use on developing brains, and proposed therapeutic uses of cannabis in developmental and behavioral conditions.

What this study cannot tell us

Narrative review rather than systematic review. Published in 2015, so newer evidence is not included. Focuses on US context. Does not separately address CBD-only products, which have different risk profiles.

How to read the evidence

Narrative review synthesizing epidemiological, neurocognitive, and clinical evidence for pediatric populations.

When this study was published

Published in 2015. CBD-specific research for pediatric epilepsy has advanced significantly since.

The bigger picture

The tension between parental hope for cannabis-based treatments and the scientific evidence is acute in pediatrics. Children and adolescents may be both the population most in need of new treatments and the most vulnerable to cannabis's neurodevelopmental effects.

Questions still open

Could CBD (without THC) be safe and effective for pediatric conditions? How should clinicians respond when families are already using cannabis products for their children? What evidence threshold should be required before recommending cannabis for children?

Common questions

Is medical marijuana safe for children?

This review found very limited evidence for medical cannabis in pediatric developmental and behavioral conditions, with well-documented risks to adolescent brain development from regular cannabis exposure. The evidence gap was described as a "dearth."

Can cannabis help with ADHD or autism?

As of this 2015 review, there was essentially no scientific evidence supporting cannabis use for ADHD or autism spectrum disorder in children. Parents should discuss any interest in these treatments with their child's physician.

Read the original research

Medical marijuana: review of the science and implications for developmental-behavioral pediatric practice.

Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBP, 36(2), 115-23

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Hadland, Scott E; Knight, John R; Harris, Sion K. (2015). Medical marijuana: review of the science and implications for developmental-behavioral pediatric practice.. Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBP, 36(2), 115-23. https://doi.org/10.1097/DBP.0000000000000129