This Substance in Cannabis Reduces Stress & Improves Mood

The use of state-regulated cannabis products, particularly those dominant in Cannabidiol (CBD), are associated with reduced stress and improved mood, according to observational data published in the journal Human Psychopharmacology: Human & Experimental.

Researchers affiliated with the University of Colorado at Boulder assessed the ad libitum use of cannabis products in subjects with elevated levels of anxiety. Participants were assigned to consume state-regulated cannabis products dominant in either THC or CBD for the duration of the trial. Patients’ symptoms (feelings of depression, stress, and anxiety) were assessed at baseline, at two weeks, and at four weeks.

Investigators acknowledged “significant changes” in participants’ DASS Scale (Depression Anxiety Stress) scores over the length of the trial. Participants who consumed CBD-dominant products experienced the greatest decrease in symptoms. Contrary to researchers’ expectations, participants did not decrease their alcohol intake during the study.

The study’s authors concluded: “Among a sample of individuals underrepresented in research, both CBD and THC were significantly related to improvement in mood but not to alcohol use, with participants using CBD demonstrating more improvement over the course of the entire study period. … These results suggest that CBD may be helpful in reducing negative mood in the short term without increasing risk for disordered alcohol use.”

Patients authorized to use medical cannabis products most frequently report doing so to mitigate symptoms of pain, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, sleep disturbances, and depression.