Cannabis Oil Improved Behavioral Symptoms in 60% of Autistic Children in an Observational Study
An observational study of 50 autistic children treated with CBD-rich cannabis oil found 60% showed improvement in behavioral symptoms, with aggression and self-injury showing the most response.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
60% of children showed clinical improvement on the CGI-I scale. Aggression improved in 68% and self-injurious behavior in 64%. Hyperactivity improved in 52%. Anxiety improved in 48%. Sleep improved in 44%. Most common adverse effects: increased appetite (22%), drowsiness (18%). Two patients discontinued due to worsening behavior.
Key Numbers
50 children; 60% improved overall; 68% improved aggression; 64% improved self-injury; 52% improved hyperactivity; 22% increased appetite; 18% drowsiness.
How They Did This
Prospective observational study of 50 children with autism spectrum disorder (ages 4-17) treated with CBD-rich cannabis oil (CBD:THC ratio 20:1) for 6 months. Clinical Global Impression and parent-rated behavioral scales.
Why This Research Matters
Autism has few effective pharmacological treatments, especially for aggression and self-injury. While uncontrolled, this study adds to growing evidence that CBD-rich cannabis may help manage challenging autism behaviors.
The Bigger Picture
Multiple observational studies now suggest cannabis may help some autistic children, but the field still lacks definitive RCTs. The consistent signal across studies strengthens the case for controlled trials.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
No control group or blinding. Strong potential for placebo and expectation effects. Single product (20:1 CBD:THC). Parental reporting bias. 6-month duration may not capture long-term effects.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would these results hold in a placebo-controlled trial?
- ?Which autistic children are most likely to respond to cannabis oil?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Evidence Grade:
- Prospective design with standardized measures is valuable, but lack of control group and blinding severely limits conclusions.
- Study Age:
- 2025 observational study of CBD-rich cannabis oil in pediatric autism.
- Original Title:
- Evaluating the impact of cannabis oil for autistic children with and without concomitant medications: Insights from an open-label study.
- Published In:
- Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England), 2698811251332841 (2025)
- Authors:
- Treves, Nir(3), Dagan, Adi(2), Kohn, Elkana(8), Hazan, Ariela, Berkovitch, Matityahu, Abu-Kishk, Ibrahim, Agajani, Netanel, Barchel, Dana, Heyman, Eli, Lazinger, Mirit, Hartmann, Inbar, Stolar, Orit
- Database ID:
- RTHC-07821
Evidence Hierarchy
Watches what happens naturally without intervening.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Can cannabis help children with autism?
In this uncontrolled study, 60% of autistic children showed improvement with CBD-rich cannabis oil, especially for aggression and self-injury. Controlled trials are needed to confirm these findings.
What type of cannabis is used for autism?
This study used CBD-rich oil with a 20:1 CBD:THC ratio, meaning very little THC. CBD-dominant products are most commonly studied for pediatric conditions.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-07821APA
Treves, Nir; Dagan, Adi; Kohn, Elkana; Hazan, Ariela; Berkovitch, Matityahu; Abu-Kishk, Ibrahim; Agajani, Netanel; Barchel, Dana; Heyman, Eli; Lazinger, Mirit; Hartmann, Inbar; Stolar, Orit. (2025). Evaluating the impact of cannabis oil for autistic children with and without concomitant medications: Insights from an open-label study.. Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England), 2698811251332841. https://doi.org/10.1177/02698811251332841
MLA
Treves, Nir, et al. "Evaluating the impact of cannabis oil for autistic children with and without concomitant medications: Insights from an open-label study.." Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1177/02698811251332841
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Evaluating the impact of cannabis oil for autistic children ..." RTHC-07821. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/treves-2025-evaluating-the-impact-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.