{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,23]],"date-time":"2026-02-23T11:13:24Z","timestamp":1771845204859,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":53,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,15]],"date-time":"2021-12-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1639526400000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":14,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["BMJ Open"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2021,11,30]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2021,12]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Objectives<\/jats:title><jats:p>To assess whether autistic and non-autistic adults differ in their cannabis and cannabidiol (CBD) use, their perceptions of cannabinoid products and their cannabinoid-related support-seeking behaviours.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Design<\/jats:title><jats:p>Cross-sectional survey.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Participants<\/jats:title><jats:p>Respondents to an online survey, who self-reported an autism-spectrum disorder diagnosis (autistic participants) or no issues relating to autism (controls). Exclusion criteria were: related\/subclinical issues relating to autism, non-UK residence, under 16 years old. Propensity score matching was used to match autistic participants and controls on age, gender and ethnicity. The full-sample analysis included 269 participants and the propensity-matched sample analysis included 166 participants. Propensity-matched analysis was used for primary analysis and was considered robust if supported by triangulation with full-sample analysis.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>Autistic participants were more likely to have used CBD in the past 12 months compared with controls (OR=3.52, 95% CI 1.57 to 7.87, p=0.002). They used CBD on more days in the past 12 months (M=34, SD=93) compared with controls (M=17, SD=69, p=0.002). Autistic participants reported trusting the news and doctors less as sources of cannabinoid-related information than controls (p=0.024 and p=0.003, respectively). Autistic participants endorsed the following barriers to cannabinoid-related support seeking more than controls: \u2018worrying they won\u2019t understand me\u2019 (OR=3.25, 95% CI 1.67 to 6.33, p&lt;0.001), \u2018going somewhere unfamiliar\u2019 (OR=5.29, 95% CI 2.62 to 10.67, p&lt;0.001) and \u2018being in a crowded or chaotic place\u2019 (OR=9.79, 95% CI 4.18 to 22.89, p&lt;0.001).<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>Results indicate a higher prevalence and frequency of CBD use, but not cannabis use, among autistic individuals compared with controls. Findings also suggest appropriate methods to disseminate cannabinoid-related support to autistic individuals, and indicate differences in the potential barriers autistic and non-autistic individuals may face when seeking cannabinoid-related support.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2021-053814","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,16]],"date-time":"2021-12-16T16:38:24Z","timestamp":1639672704000},"page":"e053814","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Cannabis and cannabidiol use among autistic and non-autistic adults in the UK: a propensity score-matched analysis"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"11","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1942-4957","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Daniel Ying-Heng","family":"Hua","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Rachel","family":"Lees","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Mark","family":"Brosnan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Tom P","family":"Freeman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"American Psychiatric Association . Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5\u00ae). American Psychiatric Publishing, 2013.","DOI":"10.1176\/appi.books.9780890425596"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1469-7610.2012.02600.x"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1468-2850.2010.01220.x"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3109\/10673229709030550"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"80","DOI":"10.1007\/s10803-016-2914-2","article-title":"Increased risk for substance use-related problems in autism spectrum disorders: a population-based cohort study","volume":"47","author":"Butwicka","year":"2017","journal-title":"J Autism Dev Disord"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"211","DOI":"10.15288\/jsad.2014.75.211","article-title":"ADHD symptoms, autistic traits, and substance use and misuse in adult Australian twins","volume":"75","author":"De Alwis","year":"2014","journal-title":"J Stud Alcohol Drugs"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"154","DOI":"10.1016\/j.drugpo.2015.06.003","article-title":"Substance use disorder in Asperger syndrome: an investigation into the development and maintenance of substance use disorder by individuals with a diagnosis of Asperger syndrome","volume":"27","author":"Clarke","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int J Drug Policy"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.15288\/jsa.1994.55.525"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"317","DOI":"10.1089\/aut.2020.0008","article-title":"The expectancies and motivations for heavy episodic drinking of alcohol in autistic adults","volume":"2","author":"Brosnan","year":"2020","journal-title":"Autism in Adulthood"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.2147\/NDT.S120509","article-title":"Epilepsy in patients with autism: links, risks and treatment challenges","volume":"14","author":"Besag","year":"2018","journal-title":"Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1177\/2050324520974487","article-title":"Ending the pain of children with severe epilepsy? an audit of the impact of medical cannabis in 10 patients","volume":"6","author":"Zafar","year":"2020","journal-title":"Drug Sci Policy Law"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/17470910600980986"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.euroneuro.2014.11.014"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuropharm.2015.12.017"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0153327"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"795","DOI":"10.1016\/j.euroneuro.2017.05.005","article-title":"Cannabinoids in attention-deficit\/hyperactivity disorder: a randomised-controlled trial","volume":"27","author":"Cooper","year":"2017","journal-title":"Eur Neuropsychopharmacol"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s13229-020-00405-7"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.3390\/brainsci10090572","article-title":"Cannabinoids for people with ASD: a systematic review of published and ongoing studies","volume":"10","author":"Fusar-Poli","year":"2020","journal-title":"Brain Sci"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fnins.2018.00304"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"346","DOI":"10.1089\/acm.2019.0428","article-title":"Cannabidiol (CBD) oil, cancer, and symptom management: a Google trends analysis of public interest","volume":"26","author":"Narayanan","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Altern Complement Med"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.l1141"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/S41386-020-0667-2"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.23","unstructured":"CBD . Expert Committee on drug dependence fortieth meeting. cannabidiol (CBD) critical review report. Geneva, 2018."},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1212\/WNL.0000000000005254"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1159\/000489287"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"503","DOI":"10.1080\/19390211.2020.1795044","article-title":"Cannabis sativa L. and Its Extracts: Regulation of Cannabidiol in the European Union and United Kingdom","volume":"17","author":"Tallon","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Diet Suppl"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"388","DOI":"10.1001\/jamapsychiatry.2015.3229","article-title":"Cannabis use and risk of psychiatric disorders: prospective evidence from a US national longitudinal study","volume":"73","author":"Blanco","year":"2016","journal-title":"JAMA Psychiatry"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopsych.2015.08.001"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/sj.npp.1300496"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.drugalcdep.2009.09.003"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"310","DOI":"10.1016\/j.schres.2019.11.037","article-title":"Prevalence and outcomes of young people with concurrent autism spectrum disorder and first episode of psychosis","volume":"216","author":"Sunwoo","year":"2020","journal-title":"Schizophr Res"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"282","DOI":"10.1089\/aut.2019.0051","article-title":"The critical lack of data on alcohol and marijuana use by adolescents on the autism spectrum","volume":"2","author":"Adhia","year":"2020","journal-title":"Autism in Adulthood"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4158","DOI":"10.1007\/s10803-020-04474-8","article-title":"An exploratory study of a dimensional assessment of the diagnostic criteria for autism","volume":"50","author":"Brosnan","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Autism Dev Disord"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1360-0443.1997.tb03205.x"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1360-0443.1998.931116816.x"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"709","DOI":"10.1016\/j.addbeh.2012.02.012","article-title":"Psychometric properties of the CAST and SDS scales in young adult cannabis users","volume":"37","author":"Cuenca-Royo","year":"2012","journal-title":"Addict Behav"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-006X.48.4.419"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/bimj.200810488"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1524-4733.2006.00130.x"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/sim.6004"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1467-6419.2007.00527.x"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/d41586-018-01023-3"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"171","DOI":"10.1016\/j.addbeh.2018.10.050","article-title":"International differences in patterns of cannabis use among youth: prevalence, perceptions of harm, and driving under the influence in Canada, England & United States","volume":"90","author":"Wadsworth","year":"2019","journal-title":"Addict Behav"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0022466916632495"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"77","DOI":"10.1089\/can.2020.0149","article-title":"Call to action for enhanced equity and inclusion in cannabis research","volume":"6","author":"Martin-Willett","year":"2021","journal-title":"Cannabis Cannabinoid Res"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.addbeh.2011.11.039"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1751-7893.2008.00076.x"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Garey L , Olofsson H , Garza T . Directional effects of anxiety and depressive disorders with substance use: a review of recent prospective research. Curr Addict Rep 2020:1\u201312.","DOI":"10.1007\/s40429-020-00321-z"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.49","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1017\/S0033291718002283"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"152","DOI":"10.1089\/can.2018.0006","article-title":"A cross-sectional study of cannabidiol users","volume":"3","author":"Corroon","year":"2018","journal-title":"Cannabis Cannabinoid Res"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"573","DOI":"10.1007\/s40267-020-00781-3","article-title":"\u201cOver-the-counter\u201d cannabidiol (CBD) sold in the community pharmacy setting in Colorado","volume":"36","author":"Shea","year":"2020","journal-title":"Drugs Ther Perspect"},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.52","unstructured":"National Institute of Health and Care Excellence . Cannabis-based medicinal products, 2019. Available: https:\/\/www.nice.org.uk\/guidance\/ng144\/resources\/cannabisbased-medicinal-products-pdf-66141779817157 [Accessed 19 Mar 2021]."},{"key":"2024112512371329000_11.12.e053814.53","unstructured":"Autistica . The world after coronavirus, 2020. Available: https:\/\/www.autistica.org.uk\/news\/world-after-coronavirus [Accessed 19 Mar 2021]."}],"container-title":["BMJ Open"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/syndication.highwire.org\/content\/doi\/10.1136\/bmjopen-2021-053814","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,25]],"date-time":"2024-11-25T20:38:17Z","timestamp":1732567097000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/bmjopen.bmj.com\/lookup\/doi\/10.1136\/bmjopen-2021-053814"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,12]]},"references-count":53,"journal-issue":{"issue":"12","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,16]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2021,12]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1136\/bmjopen-2021-053814"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/bmjopen-2021-053814","relation":{},"ISSN":["2044-6055","2044-6055"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2044-6055","type":"print"},{"value":"2044-6055","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,12]]}}}