New Study: Consumers Self-Medicate With Cannabis to Treat Anxiety, Pain, and Depression

QUEBEC–According to statistics found in the Journal of Cannabis Research, the most common reasons Canadians use cannabis for self-medication are to treat pain, anxiety, insomnia, and depression.489 people who admitted to buying cannabis products at adult-use stores for self-medicating were interviewed by Canadian researchers. According to previous research, respondents were most likely to say they used cannabis products to reduce anxiety (70 percent), enhance sleep (56 percent), relieve pain (53 percent), and deal with depressive symptoms (37 percent). Additionally, subjects were more likely to admit to using cannabis to treat their post-traumatic stress symptoms, migraines, and muscle stiffness.

Most survey participants said they used cannabis flower and chose THC-rich products. However, those who simply indicated that they used cannabis for medical purposes demonstrated a preference for goods with a high CBD content.

In contrast to past polls, the majority of respondents admitted telling their medical practitioners they used cannabis.

Similar findings from a different recent poll were reported in the journal Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, which found that most Americans with medical cannabis cards use it to alleviate pain, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression symptoms. Another recent survey by Harris Polling revealed that users most frequently claim to use cannabis to lower stress, enhance sleep, and lessen anxiety.

According to separate survey information obtained in April, 21% of US Medicare users admit to using cannabis for therapeutic purposes, usually to treat symptoms of chronic pain, anxiety, and depression.

The Journal of Cannabis Research has published the complete article, “A Description of Self-Medication with Cannabis Among Adults With Legal Access to Cannabis in Quebec, Canada.”