A recent observational study found that medical cannabis may be beneficial for people with ADHD. In the rare study, researchers tracked specific cannabis patients with ADHD for 12 months and observed improvements in their anxiety, sleep quality, and health-related quality of life. The patients tolerated the cannabis well: Less than one-fifth of them reported adverse side effects, most of which were moderate. The authors argue that these results—while not definitive—nonetheless provide strong motivation for future studies on cannabis and ADHD.
The National Health Interview Survey estimates that over 10% of the US population has ADHD. While some medications have proven somewhat effective in mitigating ADHD symptoms (such as Adderall, Ritalin, or Wellbutrin), many of them cause negative side effects. Due to risks like decreased appetite, insomnia, emotional dysregulation, irritability, and adverse cardiovascular events, many individuals diagnosed with ADHD avoid taking these medications.
Given these challenges in treating ADHD, researchers have wondered whether cannabis might present an effective alternative without such a high-risk factor. Cannabis is known to activate the endocannabinoid system, which ADHD may impair, according to pre-clinical research. Additional research indicates that cannabis could help boost concentration, motivation, learning, memory, hyperactivity, and impulsivity in individuals with ADHD.
The Study found that anxiety and sleep quality metrics improved at each check-in throughout the 12 months. Significant improvements were also found in health-related quality of life over the first 6 months of the study.
