A review for pediatricians on medical marijuana found limited evidence and significant brain development concerns for children
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.
Quick Facts
What This Study 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.
Key Numbers
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 They Did This
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.
Why This Research 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 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.
What This Study Doesn't 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.
Questions This Raises
- ?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?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Evidence for pediatric medical cannabis described as a "dearth"
- Evidence Grade:
- Narrative review synthesizing epidemiological, neurocognitive, and clinical evidence for pediatric populations.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2015. CBD-specific research for pediatric epilepsy has advanced significantly since.
- Original Title:
- Medical marijuana: review of the science and implications for developmental-behavioral pediatric practice.
- Published In:
- Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBP, 36(2), 115-23 (2015)
- Authors:
- Hadland, Scott E, Knight, John R(2), Harris, Sion K(3)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-00973
Evidence Hierarchy
Summarizes existing research on a topic.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked 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.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-00973APA
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
MLA
Hadland, Scott E, et al. "Medical marijuana: review of the science and implications for developmental-behavioral pediatric practice.." Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBP, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1097/DBP.0000000000000129
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Medical marijuana: review of the science and implications fo..." RTHC-00973. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/hadland-2015-medical-marijuana-review-of
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.