Risks of medical marijuana use for mood and anxiety disorders

These are the results of a new study.

Disorders use marijuana is associated with dependence on the use of this plant. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (USA), a person is considered to be dependent on marijuana when they experience cravings or loss of appetite, irritability, restlessness, restlessness, and difficulty sleeping after quit smoking.

According to an earlier study published in 2021, the high use of medical marijuana in the case of depression and bipolar disorder is associated with an increased risk of self-harm, suicide attempts and death.

Under the current system of providing medical marijuana cards, people only need to get the written approval of a licensed doctor to get the card, the latest research says. However, often that physician is “not the patient’s primary care provider but a “cannabis doctor” who can provide authorization to a patient with only a preliminary examination, There are no recommendations for alternative treatments and no follow-up,” according to a statement published with the study.

“Indeed, the medical cannabis industry operates beyond the regulatory standards that apply to most medical fields.“, the statement said.

The study, published March 18 in the journal JAMA Network Open, followed 269 adults from the Boston area with an average age of 37 who wanted a medical marijuana card. The participants were divided into two groups: one was allowed to get the card immediately and start using it; The rest of the group waited 12 weeks before receiving the cards.

Lead study author Jodi Gilman, assistant professor at Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital at the Center for Addiction Medicine, said:The waitlisted group was our comparison group, like the placebo group, but we couldn’t do placebo cannabis. The group of people on the waiting list continue with their usual treatment, including counseling, medication…“.

Research shows that people who receive an immediate medical marijuana card are twice as likely to develop a cannabis use disorder. 10% had developed the disorder by week 12, and that number increased to 20% if they were using cannabis to treat anxiety or depression.

Those who received the card immediately saw “no significant change in pain levels or symptoms of anxiety or depression,” but reported improved insomnia and felt happier, according to the study. . The sleep and health benefits of cannabis need further monitoring, the study said.

The use of medical marijuana may be “highly risky or may even be contraindicated for people with emotional disturbances. This finding is important because depression has been reported as a reason. the third most common cause for patients to seek medical marijuana tags, the study said.

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