One of the biggest benefits of medical cannabis is its relaxing effects that it has on the consumer. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a cannabinoid that is very effective for treating anxiety, both circumstantial and chronic, as was explained previously in this post. Several studies completed in 2017 have highlighted new information regarding the use of medical cannabis for anxiety.
A recent study from Israel has been published comparing the effect of opiates with medical cannabis in patients suffering from depression and anxiety. The study sought to analyse levels of depression and anxiety in patients suffering from different types of chronic pain (migraine, arthritis, fibromyalgia and others) who were treated with opiates and medical cannabis. Among the people that participated in the research, 59% took only opiates, 41% underwent a medical cannabis treatment and 8.6% took both.
Although the relationship between cannabis and anxiety is not yet clear, patients who took therapeutic cannabis for chronic pain experienced less depression and anxiety [1] compared to those who used opioids and those who used both. This phenomenon could be explained by the interaction of cannabinoids with the receptors of the brain, reducing depressive behaviours exhibited by the patients. It has also been observed that cannabis strains that have a high concentrations of CBD (cannabidiol) could be more effective in reducing states of anxiety.
Another study tested the effects of THC and CBD on mice [2] and observed their levels of anxiety. The mice were administered doses of each cannabinoid and the study showed that in stressful situations, CBD was more effective as an anxiolytic than in normal situations. In this regard, the study was able to confirm the effectiveness of medical cannabis to treat anxiety, and more specifically, the use of CBD to reduce anxiety in people who are suffering from high levels of stress.
Bibliography
[1] Journal of Affective Disorders, Volume 218, April 2017, Pages 1–7, Depression and anxiety among chronic pain patients receiving prescription opioids and medical marijuana, Daniel Feingold, Silviu Brill, Itay Goor-Aryeh, Yael Delayahu, Shaul Lev-Ran:
[2] Rock, E.M., Limebeer, C.L., Petrie, G.N. et al. Psychopharmacology (2017), Effect of prior foot shock stress and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiolic acid, and cannabidiol on anxiety-like responding in the light-dark emergence test in rats