--- description: There's little evidence that cannabis, and compounds CBD and THC, relieve symptoms of depression, anxiety and other mental health issues. title: There's 'Scarce Evidence' That Cannabis Helps Mental Health Issues, a New Research Review Says image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt49463533fd25d4aa/698a04df86f68e62eb6edc86/cannabis-dispensary.jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Health](/section/health/) ## Health Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Mental Health/Psychology](/tag/mental-healthpsychology/) ## Mental Health/Psychology Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # There's 'Scarce Evidence' to Suggest Cannabis Improves Mental Health Symptoms, a New Research Review Says  by [Jamie Ducharme](/author/jamie-ducharme/)  ## Jamie Ducharme Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Ducharme is a contributor to TIME. Oct 28, 2019 10:32 PM CUT  Jars full of medical marijuana at Sunset Junction medical marijuana dispensary in Los Angeles. Jars full of medical marijuana at Sunset Junction medical marijuana dispensary in Los Angeles.Kevork Djansezian—Getty Images  by [Jamie Ducharme](/author/jamie-ducharme/)  ## Jamie Ducharme Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Ducharme is a contributor to TIME. Oct 28, 2019 10:32 PM CUT Marijuana is more mainstream than it’s ever been. A [growing number of states](https://time.com/5090018/americans-support-legalizing-marijuana/ "undefined") are legalizing it medicinally and recreationally; millions of people are vaping products that contain the compound THC (potentially to the [detriment of their health](https://time.com/5688229/cdc-thc-vaping-deaths/ "undefined")); and non-psychoactive [CBD](https://time.com/5516745/cbd-oil-legal-healthy/ "undefined") is in everything from beauty products to seltzer water. This spring, Google searches for CBD exceeded searches for buzzy health topics like [acupuncture](https://time.com/4383611/acupuncture-alternative-medicine-pain/ "undefined"), [apple cider vinegar](https://time.com/4590941/apple-cider-vinegar-health-benefits/ "undefined") and [meditation](https://time.com/5447850/yoga-meditation-more-popular/ "undefined"), according to a recent [_JAMA Network Open_ analysis](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2753393?utm%5Fsource=For%5FThe%5FMedia&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=ftm%5Flinks&utm%5Fterm=102319 "undefined"). The problem: Even though many consumers turn to cannabis compounds, known as cannabinoids, to soothe issues like depression and anxiety, these substances don’t seem to do much for mental health, according to [a new research review](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366%2819%2930401-8/fulltext "undefined") published in the journal _Lancet Psychiatry._ A team of Australian researchers analyzed the results of 83 prior studies that looked at medicinal cannabinoids’ effects on mental health and neurological conditions, including depression, anxiety, Tourette syndrome, ADHD, PTSD and psychosis. While they found positive results here and there—some studies showed evidence that pharmaceutical CBD-THC could lessen symptoms of anxiety and certain symptoms of PTSD, while another found limited benefits from taking CBD for psychosis—overall, the literature provided “little evidence for the effectiveness of pharmaceutical CBD or medicinal cannabis for the treatment of any of these mental health disorders,” the authors write. Even the positive results may not be directly linked to cannabis. The authors note that medicinal marijuana is often prescribed to patients for whom depression and anxiety are secondary conditions—that is, a chronic disease may be their “primary” diagnosis—which makes it hard to see how, exactly, the drug is helping. Marijuana could, for example, [lessen chronic pain or nausea](https://time.com/5430844/medical-marijuana-cancer-treatment/ "undefined"), which then leads to a reduction in mental health symptoms. That’s a good outcome, of course, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that marijuana is directly treating depression or anxiety. Plus, many people aren’t using pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoids, and a body of research suggests non-medicinal cannabis use can worsen mental health symptoms, the authors note. The THC and CBD products available to most consumers are also [notoriously under-regulated](https://time.com/5670147/vaping-marijuana-lung-disease/ "undefined"). Marijuana’s legality varies from state to state, creating an active black and gray market, and most cannabis-derived products do not fall under the Food and Drug Administration’s purview. (The [FDA did approve](https://time.com/5322469/epidiolex-marijuana-drug/ "undefined") an epilepsy treatment containing CBD last year.) Though the [agency tries to step in](https://www.fda.gov/news-events/public-health-focus/warning-letters-and-test-results-cannabidiol-related-products "undefined") when brands make unauthorized health claims or inaccurately label their products, as many do, it’s hard to keep pace with the number of products hitting the market. The review also exposed just how little research has been done on cannabinoids and mental health. The researchers struggled to find studies specifically looking at CBD and depression and anxiety, for example, even though many people use it to self-treat that condition. While some people may see a positive effect—either [placebo](https://time.com/5392687/placebo-effect-pain/ "undefined") or otherwise—after using cannabinoids, the evidence to support their therapeutic use for mental health problems just isn’t there yet, as the latest review shows. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5710682/cannabis-marijuana-mental-health/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5710682/cannabis-marijuana-mental-health/"},"headline":"There's 'Scarce Evidence' to Suggest Cannabis Improves Mental Health Symptoms, a New Research Review Says","datePublished":"2019-10-28T22:32:04.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-24T07:38:45.258Z","description":"Even when it's medical-grade","url":"https://time.com/5710682/cannabis-marijuana-mental-health/","keywords":["Mental Health/Psychology"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt49463533fd25d4aa/698a04df86f68e62eb6edc86/cannabis-dispensary.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Jamie Ducharme","jobTitle":"Ducharme is a contributor to TIME.","url":"https://time.com/author/jamie-ducharme/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt49463533fd25d4aa/698a04df86f68e62eb6edc86/cannabis-dispensary.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"A cannabis dispensary in Los Angeles","caption":"A cannabis dispensary in Los Angeles","creditText":"Kevork Djansezian—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/mental-healthpsychology/","name":"Mental Health/Psychology"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5710682/cannabis-marijuana-mental-health/","name":"There's 'Scarce Evidence' to Suggest Cannabis Improves Mental Health Symptoms, a New Research Review Says"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"A New Study Says Pot Smokers May Have Higher Sperm Counts","description":"Men who have smoked marijuana may be more fertile than those who have never touched it, suggests a new study published in the journal Human Reproduction.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/tu3XGKW1/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2019-02-06T17:14:36.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/tu3XGKW1.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/5710682/cannabis-marijuana-mental-health/","duration":"PT1M12S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/5710682/cannabis-marijuana-mental-health/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```