Compounds in the cannabis plant, in particular tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), are known to interact with the endocannabinoid system, which may explain why cannabis appears to work on ASD.
Patients using a CBD rich cannabis oil showed improvements in self-injury and rage attacks, hyperactivity, and sleep problems.
A review published in May 2021 concluded that “cannabis and cannabinoids may have promising effects in the treatment of symptoms related to autism spectrum disorder, and can be used as a therapeutic alternative in the relief of those symptoms.”