Autism requires more than a diagnosis – it requires understanding
Autism requires more than a diagnosis – it requires understanding
A personal look from Peter Vermeul on how Full-spectrum cannabis extracts can contribute to calmness, connection and recovery
When you talk to parents of children with autism, you often hear the same story: a years-long search for peace, understanding, and relief. Not just for a diagnosis, but especially for ways to better manage stimuli, emotions, and the daily challenges that autism brings.
Many families try everything conventional care has to offer: antipsychotics, antidepressants, sleeping pills, or mood stabilizers. Sometimes with temporary relief, but often with side effects that further compromise quality of life.
Peter Vermeul , founder of CBD Spain and producer of the organic Full-spectrum CBD oil we use at CBD & Herb , has been asking the same question for years: Why do we focus on mitigating symptoms instead of supporting recovery from within?
A study that brings hope
In a recent real-life study conducted in Brazil, twenty people with autism spectrum disorder were treated with full-spectrum cannabis extracts — natural, complete extracts containing all the active compounds of the cannabis plant.
Instead of a single, fixed dosage for everyone, the treatment was completely personalized : tailored to the individual, their body, and their response to the oil. The ratio of CBD to THC was carefully adjusted to each patient's clinical picture.
And the results? Impressive:
✅ 18 out of 20 participants experienced significant improvement — in behavior, sleep, communication, and even the family’s overall quality of life.
✅ More than 80% were able to reduce or stop regular medication .
✅ The side effects were mild and temporary.
For many families, this not only meant less medication, but above all: more rest, more contact and a better quality of life.
Why Full-Spectrum Extracts Work
The secret of this approach lies in the completeness of the plant .
Where traditional medicines target one substance or receptor, a full-spectrum cannabis extract works in a more natural, broader way.
The combination of cannabinoids (such as CBD, THC, CBG), terpenes and flavonoids creates what is called the entourage effect : a synergy in which the components strengthen and balance each other.
In people with autism, the endocannabinoid system — the natural regulatory system that influences mood, stimulus processing and sleep , among other things — is often out of balance.
By supporting this system in a gentle, natural way, the body can calm down again and regulate itself better.
Or as Peter himself says:
Nature doesn't offer half-hearted solutions. It offers complete systems. And the cannabis plant, in its entirety, is such a system.
Not a miracle cure, but a new form of care
What makes this research special is not only its effectiveness, but especially its human approach .
No strict protocol, no standard dosage, but real attention for the individual.
Every child and every adult with autism is unique—and that requires a personalized approach. By carefully adapting to the individual, we create space for something often lacking in conventional care: connection .
Parents reported:
“For the first time he looked at me.”
“She's finally sleeping through the night.”
“There is peace at the table again.”
These aren't clinical numbers. These are life moments. And that's where natural support makes all the difference.
Fewer side effects, more balance
While conventional medications are often associated with serious side effects — such as weight gain, emotional flattening, or hormonal disruption — the side effects of full-spectrum cannabis extracts in this study were found to be mild, temporary, and easily manageable .
The most common effects were mild drowsiness or altered appetite, which disappeared once the dose was adjusted.
The body, as Peter describes, seems to understand the complexity of the plant better than synthetic agents.
What this means for the future
The findings of this study mark an important turning point in how we view autism.
Where conventional medicine often focuses on treating symptoms, Full-spectrum extracts show that things can be done differently — gentler, more natural and more effective.
It is not an alternative to care, but a supplement that creates space for recovery .
An approach that focuses on the person, not the diagnosis.
Peter Vermeul therefore advocates for further research and policy leeway to make these natural extracts more widely available. Not just in laboratories, but in real life—where families feel the difference.
Read the full research by Peter Vermeul
Would you like to delve deeper into the scientific details of this unique research?
Discover how personalized full-spectrum cannabis extracts can make a difference for people with autism — and what this means for the future of natural care.