CBD-Rich Marijuana Eases Anxiety and Repetitive Behaviors in Autistic Children, Finds Study

Researchers from Tel-Aviv University and the University of Haifa followed 65 autistic children between the ages of 5 and 12 who were already enrolled in a clinical program evaluating CBD-rich marijuana for autism. Parents completed detailed assessments before treatment, at three months, and again at six months, measuring five types of anxiety symptoms and six categories of restricted and repetitive behaviors. Across the six-month period, children showed meaningful improvements in overall anxiety along with specific categories including general, social, panic, and separation-related anxieties. Those reductions were accompanied by measurable drops in repetitive and restrictive behaviors, especially compulsive actions, ritualistic patterns, and sameness-driven behaviors that often interfere with daily functioning.

One of the study’s most notable findings was the connection between anxiety and repetitive behaviors. Children who experienced the strongest reductions in panic and separation-related anxiety went on to show the largest decreases in sameness behaviors, suggesting that improving anxiety may have a downstream influence on other difficult symptoms.

The authors caution that these results come from an open-label study rather than a placebo-controlled trial, meaning expectations and other factors could play a role. However, they say the consistent pattern of improvement across multiple measures indicates that CBD-rich marijuana could hold therapeutic value worth exploring in more rigorous clinical trials.

They recommend future double-blind research using standardized tools to confirm the findings and clarify how anxiety changes may influence broader behavioral outcomes for autistic children.