# Discuss cannabis use openly

Published by Pawel Jozefiak. [About this project](https://adhd100.jock.pl/about/), [How we check sources](https://adhd100.jock.pl/methodology/)

- Canonical: https://adhd100.jock.pl/cannabis-health-review/
- Language: en
- First published: 2026-09-29
- Evidence checked: 2026-09-29, using AI-assisted source verification
- Clinical review: Not clinically reviewed
- Number 30 of 100 in the list: https://adhd100.jock.pl/#cannabis-health-review

Bring cannabis use into your health review, especially if you use it for ADHD or sleep.

**The number:** A GP can discuss drug problems and refer you to a local service ([NHS, 2023](https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/addiction-support/drug-addiction-getting-help/))

## The evidence

- How sure: Certainty of evidence: Not rated. Measured in the general population; we say so because ADHD trials of this do not exist or are too small.
- Evidence grade: B. Grade B: trials in ADHD with low certainty, or strong general health evidence with a sourced reason it matters more with ADHD.
- Basis: General CDC acute cognitive-effects guidance, ADHD cannabis-use-disorder meta-analysis and NHS support guidance; no GRADE rating.
- Benefit: 66/100. The benefit score is an editorial prioritization for the general list, weighted by certainty. It is not a prediction of what will happen for you.

## Why it matters

General-population evidence shows recent cannabis use can impair attention, memory and coordination. A meta-analysis also found cannabis use disorder was more common in people with ADHD, though estimates varied a lot between settings. That's reason enough to talk it through with a clinician, but it doesn't prove cannabis permanently worsens ADHD in every person, or that feeling calmer shows it's treating ADHD.

## How to do it

1. Say how often you use cannabis, in what form, and what you hope it helps with.
2. Mention memory problems, broken sleep or trouble controlling your use.
3. Ask a clinician or drug-support service to assess you and talk through support options.

## Talk to a clinician first

Talk about cannabis alongside your prescribed medicines and other substances. This item does not recommend cannabis for ADHD and is not a plan for stopping without supervision.

## Putting it into practice

### Start now

- 1 minute: Name what you hope cannabis helps with, and one worry you'd like to raise.
- 5 minutes: Write a brief account of your use and its effects on sleep, attention and daily life.
- 15 minutes: Prepare an appointment request with a clinician or local drug-support service.

### What it looks like

- Tell the clinician if you use cannabis at night because you struggle to settle.
- Mention using more than you intended even if you also feel that it helps you relax.

### Common mistakes

- Feeling calmer and doing better are different outcomes. Tell the clinician about both.
- Fear of being judged can mean leaving things out. Ask for a confidential conversation about your use.

### Trusted how-to guides

- [Drug addiction: getting help](https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/addiction-support/drug-addiction-getting-help/), NHS

## Sources

- [Drug addiction: getting help](https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/addiction-support/drug-addiction-getting-help/), NHS, 2023 (Tier 1 guideline)
- [Cannabis and Brain Health](https://www.cdc.gov/cannabis/health-effects/brain-health.html), CDC, 2024 (Tier 1 guideline)
- [The prevalence of cannabis use disorder in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A clinical epidemiological meta-analysis](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38452637/), Journal of Psychiatric Research, 2024 (Tier 2 study)

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General information about ADHD, not a diagnosis or an individual treatment plan. Tailoring changes the order of suggestions; it does not assess you. Medication decisions belong with you and a qualified clinician.

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