Diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have tripled worldwide in the last three decades, and no specific kind of treatment currently exists.

After promising research began piling up for cannabis oil as an effective treatment for epilepsy, many parents and caregivers turned to cannabis as a means of alleviating some of the more challenging symptoms of Autism for their loved ones. There are some similarities between the symptoms associated with epilepsy and Autism, including seizures, anxiety, aggression, panic, tantrums and self-injurious behaviour. So, in response to mounting testimonial evidence, scientists began studying the therapeutic benefits of cannabis oil for patients with Autism, as well. Their findings may bring tears to your eyes.  

Medical Cannabis Treatment in Autism

A recent paper titled Real Life Experience of Medical Cannabis Treatment in Autism: Analysis of Safety and Efficacy released in January 2019 and published in Scientific Reports, concluded that cannabis oil containing high levels of CBD and low THC significantly relieved many symptoms of Autism with minimal side effects.   

The study followed 188 pediatric patients diagnosed with ASD receiving medical cannabis oil, usually containing 30% CBD and 1.5% THC, administered under the tongue three times per day, in doses ranging from a single drop, to twenty drops each time. Researchers made sure that the oil retained all the cannabis’ terpenes and flavonoids to ensure its purity. The study assessed patients’ symptoms and side effects according to structured questionnaires completed before and after treatment by their caregivers.   

In just the first month,

• 48.7% of patients that continued active treatment reported significant improvement

• 31.1% indicated a moderate improvement of symptoms

• Only 5.9% of respondents experienced side effects

• 4.3% reported that cannabis had no effect.

Reported side effects included: sleepiness, bad taste and smell of the oil, restlessness, reflux, and lack of appetite.

After six months of active treatment with high CBD cannabis oil:

• 30.1% reported significant improvement in Autism symptoms

• 53.7% saw moderate improvement

• 6.4% experienced slight improvement

• 8.6% saw no difference in their condition

Most caregivers noticed a marked improvement in some of the most challenging symptoms of Autism, including these optimistic findings:

• 84.6% of caregivers reported the disappearance of seizures as a symptom, with the rest reporting an improvement.

• 91% reported less restlessness

• 93% reported less rage attacks

Wow! Using high CBD cannabis oil to medically treat symptoms associated with Autism resulted in real-life benefits for the majority of participants.

Cannabis Oil Used to Treat Autism and Quality of Life

Many caregivers reported an improvement in their loved ones’ ability to dress and shower independently, with 26.4% having reported no difficulty before the treatment, compared to 42.9% at six months.

Similarly, good sleep and good concentration were only reported by 3.3% and 0.0% of patients, respectively, before treatment which climbed to 24.7% and 14.0% during treatment.   

In another study based on 60 children diagnosed with ASD receiving high-level CBD and low THC cannabis oil, patients reported an improvement in:

• behavioural outbreaks (61%)

• communication problems (47%)

• anxiety (39%)

• stress (33%)

• disruptive behaviour (33%)   

The most common medications taken concurrently by patients were antipsychotics, antiepileptics, hypnotics, sedatives and antidepressants. After six months:

• 34.3% reported a decrease in the use of these types of medications

• 20% of patients who took antipsychotics stopped taking it altogether.   

Good quality of life was reported by 31.3% of patients before treatment. Amazingly, at six months, this rose to 66.8%. Also, 42% of caregivers said they had a positive mood before treatment, which rose to 63.5% after six months of treatment.   

Ultimately, researchers concluded that high CBD cannabis oil appeared to be a “well tolerated, safe and effective option to relieve symptoms associated with ASD.” Miraculously, the study showed that cannabis as a medical treatment can improve the lives of millions of people affected by ASD, as well as their caregivers in addition to relieving many of its most challenging symptoms.

Children experienced life-changing improvements in their quality of life, and as a result increased their capacities to live independently and happily. All because they took a few drops of an all natural cannabis oil every day.   

I’m not crying, you are.    

SOURCES  

Aran, A., Cassuto, H. & Lubotzky, A. Cannabidiol Based Medical Cannabis in Children with Autism- a Retrospective Feasibility Study (P3.318). Neurology 90 (2018).  

Bar-Lev Schleider, L., Mechoulam, R., Saban, N., Meiri, G. and Novack, V. (2019). Real life Experience of Medical Cannabis Treatment in Autism: Analysis of Safety and Efficacy. [online]