A new study published by the Journal of Affective Disorders found that adults with clinically significant anxiety and depression experienced substantial and sustained symptom relief after initiating medicinal cannabis, particularly THC-dominant products.
Conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and La Trobe University, the observational study followed participants in Maryland over a six-month period. Patients completed daily assessments and standardized evaluations using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) at the start of treatment and at one, three, and six months after beginning cannabis use.
Researchers observed statistically significant reductions in both anxiety and depression symptoms, with average scores falling below the threshold for clinical concern by the three-month mark. These improvements were consistent across both self-reported evaluations and real-time ecological momentary assessments (EMA), which were collected before and after each cannabis use for the first eight weeks.
Most participants opted for THC-dominant cannabis products. Acute use was linked to immediate reductions in anxiety and depression, alongside increased feelings of being “high” and decreased self-rated driving ability. The greatest symptom relief came from doses of 10 to 15 milligrams of oral THC or at least three puffs of vaporized cannabis, with effects shown to be dose-dependent.
The researchers conclude by stating:
Initiation of THC-dominant medicinal cannabis was associated with acute reductions in anxiety and depression, and sustained reductions in overall symptom severity over a 6-month period. Controlled clinical trials are needed to further investigate the efficacy and safety of medicinal cannabis for acute anxiety and depression symptom management.
