How Much Cannabis Is Necessary To Help Reduce Anxiety? One Florida Researcher Intends To Find Out

Using cannabis to curb certain disorders such as social anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder and depression is not a novelty.

With the increasing impact of anxiety disorders on family life and the economy, the number of those turning to cannabis as a solution is on the rise.

Moreover, years of research have proved that cannabis has powerful anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) properties. A study conducted in 2018, by Washington State University researchers, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, found that a single puff of cannabis high in CBD and low in THC was enough to reduce depression symptoms. After two puffs, patients felt less anxious, and after ten they were less stressed.

When states legalize recreational cannabis, the volume of prescriptions for drugs that treat an array of such medical conditions significantly declines, a Cornell research team recently revealed.

While more research on the subject is never a bad thing and keeping in mind that cannabis affects different people in different ways, it is becoming more evident that marijuana is shedding its stigma.

Study To Reveal How Much Marijuana Is Needed To Reduce Anxiety

Now that we’ve established that cannabis is a weapon of choice for some who are struggling with anxiety, the question arises: how much should one consume?

Researchers at Florida Gulf Coast University are seeking answer, reported The News-Press.

The research team, led by Nathan Pipitone, the principal researcher at FGCU who works in the university’s Department of Psychology, will conduct a statewide study and examine how anxiety levels change among medical cannabis users.

One thousand certified medical marijuana users agreed to take part in the research and report their anxiety levels before and after using cannabis products over a course of 45 days, Pipitone explained. 

“We are not asking them to change how much they use,” he said.

While one of the study's shortcomings is that it does not include a control group who are not using medical marijuana, Pipitone said that this is only a “preliminary groundwork.”

“Hopefully it will open the door to allow more rigorous research,” he added.

The study’s participants will be eligible to receive an Amazon gift card of $250, which will be awarded randomly.

Photo: Courtesy of Wesley Gibbs on Unsplash