Medical cannabis has the potential to reduce anxiety in teenagers and young adults. At least, that’s what an Australian youth mental health organization called Orygen claims. After following 31 patients, the team noticed a 43% drop in anxiety-related symptoms.
Those involved were given a single daily pill of CBD (cannabidiol, a property of cannabis unrelated to the psychoactive effect, known as THC) for 12 weeks. According to those responsible for the research, the results were noticeable.
“Young people had fewer panic attacks and were able to do things they couldn’t do before, such as leaving home, going to school, participating in social situations, eating in restaurants, using public transport or attending appointments alone,” the researchers said. of Melbourne.
The researchers involved with Orygen began studying the effect of medical cannabis on teenagers after previous work suggested a benefit in adults.
As those responsible for the research point out, the pill was well tolerated, and fatigue was the most common side effect. Participants ages 12 to 25 were given an initial dose of one 200-milligram capsule daily, which was doubled after one week. Those who did not experience significant improvement had their dosage increased to up to 800 mg per day.
It is worth remembering that all participants had fortnightly sessions of cognitive-behavioral therapy. The improvement was even more noticeable when the researchers looked at the doctors’ ratings, which showed a 51% decline in symptoms. Still, the findings need to be confirmed with further studies of medical cannabis.