Antidepressant and Anxiolytic Effects of Medicinal Cannabis Use in an Observational Trial
Background: Anxiety and depressive disorders are highly prevalent. Patients are increasingly using medicinal cannabis products to treat these disorders, but little is known about the effects of medicinal cannabis use on symptoms of anxiety and depression. The aim of the present observational study w...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.729800/full |
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| author | Erin L. Martin Justin C. Strickland Nicolas J. Schlienz Nicolas J. Schlienz Joel Munson Heather Jackson Marcel O. Bonn-Miller Ryan Vandrey |
| author_facet | Erin L. Martin Justin C. Strickland Nicolas J. Schlienz Nicolas J. Schlienz Joel Munson Heather Jackson Marcel O. Bonn-Miller Ryan Vandrey |
| author_sort | Erin L. Martin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Anxiety and depressive disorders are highly prevalent. Patients are increasingly using medicinal cannabis products to treat these disorders, but little is known about the effects of medicinal cannabis use on symptoms of anxiety and depression. The aim of the present observational study was to assess general health in medicinal cannabis users and non-using controls with anxiety and/or depression.Methods: Participants (368 Cannabis Users; 170 Controls) completed an online survey assessing anxiety and depressive symptoms, cannabis product use, sleep, quality of life, and comorbid chronic pain. Participants that completed this baseline survey were then invited to complete additional follow-up surveys at 3-month intervals. Baseline differences between Cannabis Users and Controls were assessed using independent-samples t-tests and generalized linear mixed effects models were used to assess the impact of initiating cannabis product use, sustained use, or discontinuation of use on anxiety and depressive symptoms at follow-up.Results: Medicinal cannabis use was associated with lower self-reported depression, but not anxiety, at baseline. Medicinal cannabis users also reported superior sleep, quality of life, and less pain on average. Initiation of medicinal cannabis during the follow-up period was associated with significantly decreased anxiety and depressive symptoms, an effect that was not observed in Controls that never initiated cannabis use.Conclusions: Medicinal cannabis use may reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms in clinically anxious and depressed populations. Future placebo-controlled studies are necessary to replicate these findings and to determine the route of administration, dose, and product formulation characteristics to optimize clinical outcomes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T07:22:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5a75b60804e24717b5a5829c3051fec9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T07:22:04Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-5a75b60804e24717b5a5829c3051fec92022-12-21T18:34:14ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402021-09-011210.3389/fpsyt.2021.729800729800Antidepressant and Anxiolytic Effects of Medicinal Cannabis Use in an Observational TrialErin L. Martin0Justin C. Strickland1Nicolas J. Schlienz2Nicolas J. Schlienz3Joel Munson4Heather Jackson5Marcel O. Bonn-Miller6Ryan Vandrey7Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United StatesBehavioral Pharmacology Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United StatesDepartment of Psychology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United StatesRealm of Caring Foundation, Colorado Springs, CO, United StatesRealm of Caring Foundation, Colorado Springs, CO, United StatesRealm of Caring Foundation, Colorado Springs, CO, United StatesCanopy Growth Corporation, Smiths Falls, ON, CanadaBehavioral Pharmacology Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United StatesBackground: Anxiety and depressive disorders are highly prevalent. Patients are increasingly using medicinal cannabis products to treat these disorders, but little is known about the effects of medicinal cannabis use on symptoms of anxiety and depression. The aim of the present observational study was to assess general health in medicinal cannabis users and non-using controls with anxiety and/or depression.Methods: Participants (368 Cannabis Users; 170 Controls) completed an online survey assessing anxiety and depressive symptoms, cannabis product use, sleep, quality of life, and comorbid chronic pain. Participants that completed this baseline survey were then invited to complete additional follow-up surveys at 3-month intervals. Baseline differences between Cannabis Users and Controls were assessed using independent-samples t-tests and generalized linear mixed effects models were used to assess the impact of initiating cannabis product use, sustained use, or discontinuation of use on anxiety and depressive symptoms at follow-up.Results: Medicinal cannabis use was associated with lower self-reported depression, but not anxiety, at baseline. Medicinal cannabis users also reported superior sleep, quality of life, and less pain on average. Initiation of medicinal cannabis during the follow-up period was associated with significantly decreased anxiety and depressive symptoms, an effect that was not observed in Controls that never initiated cannabis use.Conclusions: Medicinal cannabis use may reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms in clinically anxious and depressed populations. Future placebo-controlled studies are necessary to replicate these findings and to determine the route of administration, dose, and product formulation characteristics to optimize clinical outcomes.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.729800/fullanxietydepressioncannabisCBD-cannabidiolTHC-tetrahydrocannabinol |
| spellingShingle | Erin L. Martin Justin C. Strickland Nicolas J. Schlienz Nicolas J. Schlienz Joel Munson Heather Jackson Marcel O. Bonn-Miller Ryan Vandrey Antidepressant and Anxiolytic Effects of Medicinal Cannabis Use in an Observational Trial Frontiers in Psychiatry anxiety depression cannabis CBD-cannabidiol THC-tetrahydrocannabinol |
| title | Antidepressant and Anxiolytic Effects of Medicinal Cannabis Use in an Observational Trial |
| title_full | Antidepressant and Anxiolytic Effects of Medicinal Cannabis Use in an Observational Trial |
| title_fullStr | Antidepressant and Anxiolytic Effects of Medicinal Cannabis Use in an Observational Trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Antidepressant and Anxiolytic Effects of Medicinal Cannabis Use in an Observational Trial |
| title_short | Antidepressant and Anxiolytic Effects of Medicinal Cannabis Use in an Observational Trial |
| title_sort | antidepressant and anxiolytic effects of medicinal cannabis use in an observational trial |
| topic | anxiety depression cannabis CBD-cannabidiol THC-tetrahydrocannabinol |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.729800/full |
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