Medicinal cannabis use by children may have an increased risk of diarrhoea and sleepiness

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-09-17 01:00

Australia; New Zealand; International

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Cannabis products used for medical purposes in children and adolescents may be associated with an increased risk of adverse events, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis of 23 randomized clinical trials from countries including Australia, New Zealand, the US, and the UK. The study found an increased risk of adverse events such as diarrhoea, sleepiness or sleeping for an abnormally long time, and changes to specific proteins in blood tests compared with controls, especially in trials for epilepsy, when treatment was more than 12 weeks, in trials using purified CBD, and in trials that enrolled only children and adolescents. The authors say that their findings suggest that physicians and caregivers should monitor children and adolescents receiving medical cannabis for adverse events, such as sleepiness or sleeping for an abnormally long time, changes in appetite, dizziness, and other cannabinoid-related adverse events. They also suggest that physicians should weigh the risks and benefits of cannabinoids and available therapeutic options along with the individual’s underlying condition, and understand that cannabinoids can interact with other drugs, especially when children and adolescents are receiving CBD and antiepileptic drugs, such as clobazam and sodium valproate.