Study Finds Marijuana Helps Alleviate Depression and Suicidality

A recent survey of more than 24,000 Canadians with PTSD found that those using marijuana had decreased depression and suicidal thoughts.

Depression and suicidal thoughts are common symptoms of people suffering from PTSD, Medical Xpress reported.

The study found that PTSD suffers that do not use marijuana are about 7 times more likely to experience a period of severe depression and are 4.7 times more likely to have suicidal thoughts.

Lead author Stephanie Lake said, “We know that with limited treatment options for PTSD, many patients have taken to medicating with cannabis to alleviate their symptoms. However, this is the first time that results from a nationally representative survey have shown the potential benefits of treating the disorder with cannabis.”

Senior author Dr. Milloy said, “We’re only just beginning to understand what the therapeutic potential of cannabis may be for a variety of health conditions. These findings are promising, and merit further study in order to fully understand the benefits of cannabis for people living with PTSD.”

The study was published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology.