The Effect of Using the Components of Cannabis and its Influence on the Severity and Progression of Anxiety Disorders in Adults

Cannabis is a drug that has become widely used around the world. Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are the two important components found in cannabis with contrasting effects on the brain. These components have played crucial roles in benefiting pain relief, appetite and other conditions. THC is known for its psychoactive properties, while CBD is known for its non-psychoactive properties. This article focused on anxiety disorders since it has been on the rise over the last couple of years. A systematic review was conducted using Pubmed and Google Scholar to investigate how CBD and THC influence the severity and progression of anxiety disorders in adults aged 12-65. This study aimed to determine if these components benefit in reducing anxiety. This analysis indicates that 400 mg of CBD shows the greatest reduction of anxiety symptoms while almost all dosages of THC showed an increase in anxiety. Further research should determine the optimal cannabis dosage for anxiety reduction, focusing on specific anxiety disorders (e.g., social or general anxiety), while analyzing narrower age ranges to assess its impact across different age groups. Keywords: Cannabis, Anxiety, Cannabidiol (CBD), Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) 

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Article Contents 

22 min

Introduction Literature Review Methods Results Discussion Conclusion References

Introduction

Cannabis, also known as marijuana, is one of the most widely used drugs in many countries around the world. Cannabis use in North America is very high and the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) stated that around 49.6 million people aged 12 or older used cannabis in 2020 in the United States alone [1]. Additionally, in Europe around 27.4% of adults aged 15-64 have tried cannabis at least once according to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) [2]. Annually, 147 million people use cannabis, which makes up 2.5% of the total world population, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) [3]. As can be seen, cannabis is a drug that is used in many countries around the world. In Canada specifically, trends in cannabis use in the past 12 months have increased from 22% in 2018 to 26% in 2023 [4]. This drug use has been growing over the last few years and the importance of its use in medicine has become a topic of interest.

Cannabis is made up of 2 components namely Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). These two compounds have remarkably similar chemical structures yet vastly different effects on the brain [5]. When they bind to the same receptors, THC is psychoactive, which means it affects how the brain works and causes changes in mood, awareness, thoughts, feelings, or behaviour [5] [6]. On the other hand, CBD has antipsychotic properties which by definition manage psychosis including delusions, hallucinations, paranoia or disordered thought [5]. Cannabis has been associated with a range of psychological, social and physical health-related problems [7].

There has been substantial research exploring the effects of THC and CBD on the brain.

Additionally, many studies have covered the effects of Cannabis on pain and various psychological disorders such as Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, only a few articles have examined how Cannabis affects individuals with anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent mental health conditions, affecting millions of people worldwide. For some individuals, their anxiety has become so severe that it interferes with their daily lives and functioning which impairs their ability to perform simple everyday tasks, thus diminishing their overall quality of life. Given the increasing prevalence of anxiety disorders, we examined the effects of cannabis components on these conditions. This article aims to identify significant gaps in the ex