Q&A

Does using marijuana increase or decrease levels of anxiety?

“I am interested in trying marijuana for my low grade anxiety. My concern is that it may increase my anxiety.”


The short answer is that (strangely) it really can do both. There are plenty of people that use cannabis to ease their anxiety, and there are those that avoid it entirely due to the fact that it makes them paranoid.

To understand this phenomenon better, read this article on the subject: https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56bb95b8d3bdcc000c00004b/the-connection-between-marijuana-and-anxiety

Your selection of products and to some degree, strains is also impactful in this process. For example, you could start with a high CBD strain or extract to start, with very small levels of THC. This is unlikely to cause to you to be anxious, and most people find it to be calming. Gradually work your way to stronger levels of THC if you feel you can manage it. As with all marijuana products, we advise going slowly and to start with small doses until you have a good handle on the effects of each different product.

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Cannabidiol (CBD) is the major non psychoactive cannabinoid in cannabis. It is a potent anxiolytic and is very effective in reducing anxiety and the frequency of panic attacks. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can reduce anxiety at low doses. At high doses, however, it can exacerbate anxiety and cause paranoia and panic attacks. People respond differently to cannabis and what is a high dose to one person, may not be to another. In my opinion, because CBD is so effective in reducing anxiety, it might be best to forego the THC. CBD varieties like ACDC, Charlotte’s Web, and Jackson’s Courage have very small amounts of THC (CBD:THC ratios are usually around 20:1) and are used to treat conditions such as anxiety, depression, mood instability, and psychosis. However, never go by the names alone. Insist on seeing independent, 3rd party testing results of your product because the cannabinoid profiles can be wildly unpredictable.

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