Overview:
A 2026 study found that AuDHD kids using a CBD-rich cannabis oil for 3-6 months were connected with significant improvements in: anxious-shyness, perfectionism, ADHD index, emotional lability, hyperactivity-impulsivity, oppositional behavior, cognitive inattention, hyperactivity, the Conners’ Global Index, and DSM-IV inattention scores.
CBD blood concentrations were only predictive of improving emotional lability (large shifts in emotions in short amounts of time). This was not placebo-controlled, so we cannot confer causality.
Introduction
CBD — Cannabidiol — is a non-psychoactive compound found in the cannabis plant. Medically, it is approved for treating certain forms of epilepsy, though beyond that, most claims are not supported by research yet.
CBD has gained significant attention in recent years for mental health benefits, especially for conditions that may be connected to the endocannabinoid system, like ADHD and Autism. Theoretically, targeting the endocannabinoid system might improve symptoms since it’s closely connected with dopamine and serotonin. There is even a hypothesis that ADHD is an endocannabinoid deficiency disorder.
Study Design
This study was conducted by Barchel et al. There were 53 participants that completed the study, and it followed them from 3-6 months. The kids took a CBD-rich cannabis oil every single day. The exact brand wasn’t shared, but typically in the research, “CBD-rich” refers to a 20:1 or higher solution of CBD:Δ9 THC. It was an open-label study, meaning everyone knew they were using the CBD oil and that there was no placebo.
Participants’ teachers evaluated their symptom changes using the Conners’ Teacher Rating Scale, and the children also had their blood tested for CBD levels.
Study Findings
After the 3-6 month treatment, the teachers reported statistically significant improvements in these areas:
Strongest improvements (p < .0.001): Anxious-shyness, Perfectionism, ADHD Index, Emotional lability, and Hyperactivity–impulsivity
Additional improvements: Oppositional behavior (p = 0.009), Cognitive inattention (p = 0.009), Hyperactivity (p = 0.006), the Conners’ Global Index (p = 0.007), and DSM-IV inattention scores (p = 0.003)
Limitations
Of course, the largest limitation is that this was not placebo-controlled: everyone knew what was happening, so they may have expected to see improvements.
Interestingly, when comparing the blood cannabinoid levels to the improvements, there was no relationship between them. The only exception was the improvements in emotional lability. This suggests that the only thing the CBD-rich oil helped with was emotional regulation, which potentially means:
- Reducing emotional lability made the rest of those symptoms easier to manage,
- People with emotional dysregulation may be more likely to benefit from CBD,
- The combination of THC-CBD might have influenced the other symptoms more, or
- Blood tests aren’t a sufficient measure of CBD levels, especially since we’re addressing the brain.
Essentially, this study gives us more questions to ask than are answered, as all good research does!
What this research means (and what it doesn’t)
This study suggests that CBD-rich cannabis oil may reduce ADHD-related symptoms in children and young adults with ASD—particularly in areas like emotional regulation, impulsivity, and anxiety-related behaviors.
It does not mean:
- CBD is a replacement for evidence-based ADHD and ASD treatments
- All children will respond the same way as the majority in this study
- Dosage is straightforward or universally safe
CBD may have a role as part of a broader, individualized support plan, but the science is still evolving. As always, consult with your physician or child’s pediatrician to create an individualized plan.
To learn more about all the research on CBD and ADHD, check out this article here.
This article summarizes the research from the aforementioned study and is for educational purposes only. Nothing in this article constitutes medical advice.
