The Impact of Medicinal Cannabis on Mental Health
- NASEM Institute Comes with an Interesting Summary of Results from a Series of Studies Examining the General Effect of Medicinal Cannabis
At the beginning of this year (2017), the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) released a comprehensive review of all studies conducted on humans, investigating the effects of medicinal cannabis. Most previous research focused on the impact of cannabis on both mental and physical health. In this article, we will focus on what this extensive report tells us about the effect of cannabis on mental health and individual psychology.
Cannabis for Mental Disorder Treatment
The issue of cannabis's effect on mental health and whether it is beneficial or harmful is still widely debated. On one side, we have many enthusiastic reports from users who use cannabis as a natural medicine against stress, feelings of anxiety and even depression.
However, there is still an issue with long-term use, and research data remains inconclusive. Some data even point to a "significant connection" between cannabis use and schizophrenia development. However, these results can be viewed from different perspectives, as you can read in our previous article "Does Cannabis Really Cause Schizophrenia?"
Other results indicate an increased risk of mania symptoms in cannabis users with bipolar disorders. Studies found several other connections between long-term cannabis use and mental disorders, but it's important to emphasize that these are average, not completely conclusive numbers. These findings include:
- Long-term cannabis users more frequently have suicidal thoughts
- Suicide cases are more common among cannabis users
- Frequent cannabis consumption is associated with higher social anxiety prevalence
It's crucial to understand that none of these results mention whether the problem occurred because of cannabis use, or if cannabis users are using it as a treatment for these disorders?
Unfortunately, current research cannot yet answer this critical question. At the moment, these are merely speculative observations that warrant future high-quality research.
Inconclusive Results
The matter becomes more complicated by another report finding that cannabis consumption does not increase the risk of developing depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder.
Some results only show worsening symptoms in certain bipolar cases, but none prove that medicinal cannabis could be directly responsible for the condition.
Learning, Memory, and Attention
No one will likely dispute that medicinal cannabis has some effect on memory and attention. Some users report success with certain strains that help them during productive activities (5 Strains for Productivity and Focus), while others point to varieties causing feelings of drowsiness, mental fog, and forgetfulness. These types of cannabis mainly include Indicas like Kush or generally strains with high Myrcene terpene content. (More in "Terpenes: What's Behind Cannabis Aroma")
According to the NASEM institute, cannabis users are well aware of these risks. Additionally, several studies show that "cannabis consumption affects memory and concentration up to 24 hours after application". Interestingly, for adult patients with psychotic disorders, cannabis actually improved memory and learning abilities.
So, if you need to study intensively, it's better to postpone cannabis consumption. Or try some energy-boosting strains - that's up to you.
Long-term Effects of "Marijuana"
Unfortunately for cannabis enthusiasts, this report also points to a slight decline in cognitive abilities among long-term, chronic users.
However, these and other results regarding long-term use and IQ are still under debate. A good example is a twin study where one twin used cannabis and the other did not, and the cognitive decline was identical for both twins. The study authors thus concluded that other environmental factors must play a role in cognitive decline besides cannabis. You can read a deeper analysis of this issue in the article "Does Medicinal Cannabis Reduce IQ".
It's still important to remember that research on medicinal cannabis effects is largely incomplete and should be approached with caution. The continuing illegal status of this medicinal herb in many countries today doesn't help scientists much, but we can still look forward to results from studies currently examining cannabis.