Scientists up-end mental health case for medical weed
A groundbreaking Australian study has found that routine medical cannabis use for mental health problems is rarely justified.
More than a million Australians have used medical cannabis at some stage, mostly in the last five years, mostly to manage depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
But a meta-analysis of peer-reviewed research including 54 randomized controlled trials since 1980 shows there is little evidence that the drug is effective for these conditions.
Although evidence shows that medical cannabis is useful in treating autism, Tourette syndrome and insomnia, Australian researchers concluded that routine cannabis use for mental health patients is rarely justified.
The study was published Tuesday in The Lancet Psychiatry.
Lead author Jack Wilson said overprescribing has the potential to do more harm than good.
“We now know that the risk of developing cannabis use disorder among those who use cannabis for medical use is equally high compared to those who use cannabis non-medically,” Dr Wilson told AAP.
“It can also make your mental health symptoms worse.”
The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Sydney, the University of Queensland and Monash University, found that medical cannabis increased cocaine cravings in people with cocaine addiction.
People taking cannabis products in the reviewed studies experienced significantly more side effects than people taking a placebo in the trials, but serious side effects and study withdrawal did not differ between groups.
The research pointed to a gap between the evidence in favor of cannabis use and its clinical application, suggesting that this could delay the implementation of more effective treatments for mental health patients.
“There is insufficient evidence for the use of these drugs in the treatment of these conditions,” Dr Wilson said.
Australia legalized medical marijuana in 2016 and relaxed regulations governing its use in 2021, allowing it to be expanded to treat more than 250 health conditions.
This is consistent with worldwide trends; Recreational and medical use has also been increasing as more countries have legalized it in recent years. A study conducted in 2024 found
The Australian Medical Association and other medical peak bodies have expressed concern about the largely uncontrolled growth of the drug, noting that there is no limit to the concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, in products on the market.
The vast majority of cannabis medicines available to Australians are not approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration, the national medicines regulator.
A review by the medicines regulator received more than 750 applications; many of them advocated for stronger product quality standards and stricter labeling requirements.
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