Longitudinal study on cannabis for anxiety and depression

This study examined the short and long term effects of cannabinoids on patients diagnosed with anxiety, depression, or both conditions. Patients self-reported about their experience daily for 6 months. It was published in the Journal of Affective Disorders in July 2025.

There were 33 patients involved with an average age of 40, and 64% were women. Mood, anxiety, sleep, pain, and overall functioning were assessed. The primary assessment tools used for patient reports were:

  • Ecological momentary assessment (EMA)
  • Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)

 

The EMA assessments were completed every day for 8 weeks and measured before each cannabis use and at the time of expected peak effects of the cannabis dose. The HADS assessment was completed at baseline, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months.

The EMA assessment helps eliminate recall bias by repeatedly sampling each patients' experiences in real time, in their natural environments. While this is not a randomized, controlled trial, it collects valuable real-time patient feedback on their experience with cannabinoid medicine and its effectiveness. We tend to believe patients when they say they are better.

Results:

Acute effects were dose-dependent: 10–15 mg of oral THC and at least 3 puffs of vaporized cannabis yielded the most robust reductions in anxiety and depression.

 

Authors' conclusions:

Significant decreases from baseline in anxiety and depression were observed, with mean scores dropping below clinically significant levels within three months of initiation. 

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. 

 

The study was funded by the Lambert Center for the Study of Medicinal Cannabis & Hemp at Thomas Jefferson University. Most of the authors are faculty at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and most also have some affiliation with a medical cannabis commercial interest. We think all new evidence about the effectiveness of cannabinoid medicine is good. Remember that for all research and especially for cannabis-related research, always consider ALL of it, never a single study.

The article abstract and overview is here at ScienceDirect.

Source:

David Wolinsky, Rhiannon E. Mayhugh, Renuka Surujnarain, Johannes Thrul, Ryan Vandrey, Justin C. Strickland, Acute and chronic effects of medicinal cannabis use on anxiety and depression in a prospective cohort of patients new to cannabis, Journal of Affective Disorders, Volume 390, 2025, 119829, ISSN 0165-0327, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2025.119829

ads: