Patient question · asked by Anonymous reader · September 17, 2026
Does cannabis help with tics in tourette syndrome?
Is there any evidence for cannabis helping tics in Tourette syndrome? My son has tried a lot of medications without much luck.
Patient question: Is there any evidence for cannabis helping tics in Tourette syndrome? My son has tried a lot of medications without much luck? There is, from a small but carefully designed trial. Twenty-two people with severe Tourette syndrome took both an oral THC/CBD oil and a placebo for six weeks each, and tic severity.
Dr. Caplan & CED Research Response
There is, from a small but carefully designed trial. Twenty-two people with severe Tourette syndrome took both an oral THC/CBD oil and a placebo for six weeks each, and tic severity fell further on the active oil. The most common side effect was cognitive: slowed thinking, memory lapses and poor concentration. And, of course beyond the literature, there are tons of clinicians who see patients that have found cannabis immensely effective for tics.
The design is a strength here. It was a crossover trial, so each participant served as their own comparison, with a four-week washout between the two six-week periods. Tic severity on the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale fell 8.9 points on active treatment versus 2.5 on placebo, and the statistical model found a significant treatment effect (P = 0.008).
Secondary measures hinted at benefit for impairment, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive symptoms as well.
The cognitive side effects deserve real weight rather than a footnote. Eight of 22 participants reported slowed mentation, memory lapses or poor concentration during active treatment. For a young person in school, that trade-off may matter as much as the tic reduction does. This is a decision to work through with your son's neurologist, and 22 participants is a small base to generalise from.
The study behind this answer
Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol in Tourette Syndrome (NEJM Evidence, 2023) · PubMed 38320199
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Reviewed by Dr. Caplan on September 17, 2026.
This answer is general education. It is not medical advice and does not create a doctor-patient relationship. For care specific to you, book a consultation. In an emergency, call 911.