Two adolescents with treatment-resistant Tourette syndrome used cannabis-based medicine for five and six years respectively, with this being among the first long-term pediatric reports.
Parents of children with treatment-resistant Tourette syndrome, pediatric neurologists, and clinicians considering cannabis-based medicines for young patients.
What the researchers found
Long-term cannabis-based medicine use in two children with Tourette syndrome starting at ages 8 and 12 provided sustained benefit, representing rare pediatric long-term follow-up data.
Why it matters
Cannabis-based medicine is recommended for treatment-resistant adult Tourette syndrome, but virtually no long-term data exists for children. These cases help fill a critical evidence gap for pediatric use.
The numbers in context
2 patients followed for 5 and 6 years respectively, starting cannabis-based medicine at ages 8 and 12.
How the study worked
Case report following two male adolescents with treatment-resistant Tourette syndrome over five and six years of cannabis-based medicine use, initiated at ages 8 and 12.
What this study cannot tell us
Only two patients — cannot generalize. Case reports lack controls and are subject to bias. Long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes would require larger, controlled studies.
How to read the evidence
Case report of only two patients — valuable for hypothesis generation and clinical awareness but cannot establish efficacy or safety.
When this study was published
Recent case report addressing a significant gap in long-term pediatric cannabis medicine data.
The bigger picture
Pediatric use of cannabis-based medicines remains controversial due to concerns about developing brains. Long-term case data, while limited, helps clinicians and families weigh risks and benefits when conventional treatments fail.
Questions still open
- What are the long-term neurodevelopmental effects of cannabis-based medicine initiated in childhood? Could controlled pediatric trials be ethically designed for treatment-resistant cases?
Common questions
Is cannabis-based medicine approved for children with Tourette syndrome?
Were there any adverse effects reported?
Read the original research
Long-term use of cannabis-based medicines in two children with Tourette syndrome: a case report.
Frontiers in psychiatry, 16, 1647969
Citation
Woerner, Lara-Katharina; Szejko, Natalia; Fremer, Carolin; Schmitt, Simon; Müller Vahl, Kirsten R. (2025). Long-term use of cannabis-based medicines in two children with Tourette syndrome: a case report.. Frontiers in psychiatry, 16, 1647969. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1647969
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