Cannabis shows promise in addressing ADHD symptoms, but legal hurdles and insufficient evidence call for deeper studies to unlock its therapeutic potential.

Cannabis, encompassing marijuana and cannabinoid-based products including THC, its primary psychoactive component, has been promoted as a treatment for a wide range of conditions. Claims range from alleviating anxiety and sleep disturbances to managing epilepsy and cancer-related pain (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Cannabis Use, and the Endocannabinoid System: A Scoping Review

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Investigating Cannabis for ADHD

Jennie Ryan, PhD, a nursing researcher at Thomas Jefferson University, is delving into cannabis’ potential effects on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Current ADHD treatments typically include medications like Adderall and behavioral therapies, which, while effective, can have drawbacks. “Parents are often curious about cannabidiol (CBD), which lacks THC’s psychoactive effects,” says Dr. Ryan. “However, we still lack sufficient scientific evidence to make solid recommendations.”

Insights from Research

In a recent review, Dr. Ryan and her team analyzed existing studies to explore links between cannabis and ADHD. They specifically examined how cannabis use might influence ADHD symptoms. Their investigation also considered the body’s natural cannabinoid system, known as the endocannabinoid system. This led them to question how this intrinsic system might interact with ADHD.

The researchers reviewed both clinical and preclinical studies, which suggest that cannabis impacts the endocannabinoid system in diverse ways. These effects could potentially influence attention, hyperactivity, and anxiety—key components of ADHD.

While findings are intriguing, Dr. Ryan emphasizes the need for more robust scientific studies to understand cannabis’ role in ADHD management. This research could pave the way for informed therapeutic options and safer applications in the future.

The Path Forward

“A relationship is there,” Dr. Ryan says. However, the picture is complicated by the sheer variety of cannabis products used, the many types of endocannabinoids and their biological pathways and the variability of ADHD presentation in people. Teasing all these factors apart, she says, “is super complicated.” In addition, cannabis researchers are hobbled by legal restrictions around marijuana.

Co-author Brooke Worster, MD, who specializes in pain management and palliative care, says she suspected the published evidence would be sparse. When that was indeed what they found, “I wasn’t super surprised,” she says. “Still, it is shocking how many holes there are. We have a lot of work ahead.”

Drs. Ryan and Worster plan to publish results from a second survey of cannabis use in adults with ADHD.

Reference:

1. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Cannabis Use, and the Endocannabinoid System: A Scoping Review – (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/dev.22540)

Source-Eurekalert