Washington State University has released a new study done in over 12,000 people claiming that cannabis could be used to help people struggling with mental health. Featured in The Journal of Affective Orders, the study suggested that if people who struggle with their mental health consume cannabis, they would be able to reduce their anxiety, depression, and stress. The research team found that one puff of cannabis that was high in CBD but low in THC was essential to reducing depression. They also found that two puffs of cannabis helped decrease symptoms of anxiety. If participants inhaled 10 or more puffs of cannabis that had a potent combination of both CBD and THC, massive amounts of stress were eliminated.
The scientists charged their users to keep track of their emotions through an app called Strainprint. Strainprint instructed the users to document how much they smoked and how they felt after a 20-minute time frame. By the time the experiment was over, the research team led by Claire Cuttler, a clinical assistant professor of psychology at Washington State University, collected over 12,000 anonymous Strainprint users for depression, anxiety, and stress.
“This is to my knowledge one of the first scientific studies to provide guidance on the strains and quantities of cannabis people should be seeking out for reducing, stress, anxiety, and depression. Currently, medical and recreational cannabis users rely on the advice of bud tenders whose recommendations are based off anecdotal not scientific evidence,” said Cuttler to Science Daily.
NPR has reported that there is high interest in CBD. People want to consume CBD because it does not contain THC, which creates mind-altering effects that are experienced with marijuana. While CBD brought an estimated $200 million in sales, researchers believe that there should be clinical trials to see the exact effects that CBD has on users.