It’s unclear if cannabis use leads to anxiety or if pre-existing undiagnosed anxiety drives cannabis users to self-medicate. Getty Images
Research released on Monday revealed that almost a third of individuals who sought emergency care for a cannabis-related issue developed a new anxiety disorder within three years.
The study, published in The Lancet’s open access journal eClinical Medicine, is considered the most comprehensive investigation into the connection between cannabis use and anxiety.
Canadian researchers analyzed the medical records of over 12 million Ontario residents from 2008 to 2019 who had no history of anxiety disorder or treatment for one. Those who visited the emergency room for cannabis use during that period were over three times more likely to receive a new anxiety disorder diagnosis—either at an outpatient visit, emergency room, or hospital—within three years, the study found. Additionally, they were nine times more likely to require further healthcare visits—either outpatient or emergency room visits, or hospitalizations—for anxiety disorder in the future.
Young cannabis users, particularly males aged 10-24, were at significantly heightened risk, according to researchers.
Does cannabis alleviate or worsen anxiety? Expert opinions are divided
It’s unclear whether cannabis consumption triggers anxiety or if many cannabis users’ pre-existing undiagnosed anxiety symptoms lead them to self-medicate.
Nonetheless, the study’s authors warned against using cannabis to address anxiety due to the lack of evidence supporting its effectiveness. Furthermore, utilizing it might hinder some individuals from starting evidence-based treatments such as prescription medication and/or therapy or exacerbate their symptoms.
A 2020 study published in the Journal of Translational Medicine observed that THC—the primary psychoactive component in cannabis—has been associated with increased anxiety, while CBD—a non-psychoactive cannabis derivative—has been linked to reduced anxiety.
An April 2023 study published in Cureus documented a rise in emergency room visits for cannabis-induced psychiatric effects after the legalization of cannabis in Michigan in 2018. Researchers found that nearly 20% of emergency room visits to an unspecified hospital in the state over a two-year period resulted in a diagnosis of cannabis-induced anxiety.
In a 2018 entry in the New England Journal of Medicine Journal Watch, Dr. Peter Roy-Byrne, the publication’s senior consulting editor for psychiatry, described cannabis use as a “Band-Aid” approach for individuals with symptoms of mood and anxiety disorders. While it may temporarily improve their state, he stated that it could worsen long-term outcomes.
“Absolutely no study suggests cannabis use as a viable therapeutic strategy for anxiety and depression,” he wrote. ” … Ongoing use that is more than occasional would likely hurt therapeutic outcomes, and cessation or marked reduction of use to at most weekly would likely improve them.”
