WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A new paper published in The Lancet Psychiatry this week, the largest review to date examining the safety and effectiveness of cannabinoids across various mental health conditions, has found no evidence that medicinal cannabis helps treat anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The findings come at a time when the use of cannabinoid-based medications has surged in Australia, with more than one million prescriptions approved and sales tripling over the past four years. These products, which include cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), are often prescribed for mental health and substance-use disorders.
The research team, led by Jack Wilson, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Sydney's Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, analyzed over 50 randomised controlled trials conducted between 1980 and 2025. The review covered a broad range of conditions, cannabinoid formulations, and treatment approaches.
Overall, the analysis found no evidence that cannabis improves symptoms of anxiety, PTSD, or depression, the very conditions most commonly cited by patients using medical marijuana. While there was some evidence suggesting potential benefits for conditions such as insomnia, autism, and Tourette's syndrome, the authors noted that this evidence was of low quality.
For several other conditions, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and tobacco use disorder, the available evidence was too limited to draw any meaningful conclusions. Notably, the researchers found no evidence at all supporting the use of cannabinoids as an effective treatment for depression.
'Given the scarcity of evidence, the routine use of cannabinoids for the treatment of mental disorders and substance use disorders is currently rarely justified,' the researchers concluded.
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