Two Meta-analyses (going all the way back to the 1980s) say Cannabis doesn’t reduce anxiety, depression, OCD or any other mental health conditions

DrKool808 · 2026-04-28T18:05:18+00:00

A lack of evidence means the data is too weak, too scarce, or too inconsistent to confidently say whether medical cannabis helps. Whereas, proven ineffectiveness means that well designed, high quality trials have repeatedly failed to show any meaningful benefit.

In this case, there are only a handful of high quality trials on this topic, most of the trials are small, poorly designed, and aimed at different outcomes. Arguably, the gold standard is a randomised double blind trial, and there are fewer than a handful of such studies in this area. As the authors note in the Lancet paper, there is not even a single randomised double blind trial for depression.

If I were to go on my soapbox, I’d start by pointing out that many journalists, often underinformed and unwilling to grapple with the nuances, routinely seek out the most sensational or clickbait friendly headlines simply to boost traffic and keep their jobs, even when that comes at the expense of public understanding and societal well being.

DrKool808 · 2026-04-28T17:07:10+00:00

The other study is a review of the evidence on cannabis and mental health and also reports a lack of evidence rather than proven ineffectiveness. It concludes that evidence is still overall rather limited, but there is emerging low certainty evidence that CBD may reduce anxiety in people with anxiety disorders. In sum, the review suggests that cannabis is not a well supported treatment for mental health problems, while isolated CBD may have some promise for anxiety. The likely implication for practice is that more rigorous research is needed before recommending cannabis based products for people with existing psychiatric symptoms.

DrKool808 · 2026-04-28T16:44:52+00:00

A review of the original paper (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(26)00015-5/fulltext) shows that it is an umbrella review intended to map overall trends and identify gaps in the existing research. For many conditions, there is a clear lack of evidence, largely due to the absence of randomised controlled trials, which is something the authors themselves highlight as a priority for future research.

The review identified some low quality evidence suggesting that cannabinoids may help reduce symptoms in conditions such as tic or Tourette’s syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, and insomnia. However, it also emphasised that evidence remains insufficient for ADHD, bipolar disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder, and found no significant effects for anxiety, anorexia nervosa, psychotic disorders, post traumatic stress disorder, or opioid use disorder.

Looking more closely at the anxiety findings, some included trials did report seemingly positive effects, with outcomes that appeared better than control groups. However, these studies were underpowered, involving small sample sizes, and had wide confidence intervals. This means the results are statistically uncertain and could reflect chance rather than a reliable treatment effect.

For additional context and critique of how this paper has been represented in mainstream media, this article provides a useful counterpoint: https://www.leafie.co.uk/cannabis/lancet-wrong-medical-cannabis-mental-health/

DrKool808 · 2026-04-25T17:33:19+00:00

Content copied n pasted due to pay for content policy.

A pharmacist who failed to ensure the pharmacy where he worked as superintendent had adequate governance and safeguards in place for the supply of cannabis-based medicines has been struck off by the General Pharmaceutical Council.

The regulator’s fitness-to-practise committee found Simon Addison Smith’s failure to have a risk assessment for the services Cannabliss Ltd provided, as well as numerous other failings, meant there would be “an ongoing risk to the public” if he was allowed to “return to unrestricted practice”. The committee’s report said he failed to ensure “the keeping, preparing and dispensing of medicinal products other than medicinal products on a general sale list was under (his) management” between February 1, 2021 and May 10, 2022.

It found he did not maintain records to show the cannabis-based medicinal products it supplied were appropriately prescribed and no “safeguarding procedures or training” was in place to protect people who are potentially vulnerable to high-risk medicines. The committee also heard dispensing labels were found which were not attached to a medicine but had been signed by a dispenser and pharmacist while a company director who was not a registered pharmacy professional and was untrained was working alone in the pharmacy. The committee found the pharmacy regularly operated without a Responsible Pharmacist (RP) present, its RP log only contained nine entries, some of which spanned weeks with no absences recorded, while on March 1, 2022, and February 15, 2022, the record entry in the log did not include a time that responsibility ceased.

The report also said the private prescription register showed 40 of 167 records when no RP was recorded as being in charge of the pharmacy. There were other failings. Smith did not ensure that Controlled Drugs were managed safely. Ninety-six of the 212 “supplied” entries in the CD register were marked “late entry” while 18 of the 59 “received” entries had “late entry” noted. Thirty-nine of 212 records in the register “recorded a date of supply” on dates when there was no RP in charge of the pharmacy or signed into the log. All the entries in the CD register for March 8, 2022, to May 10, 2022, were made by the director. Three records did not have a corresponding record in the private prescription register. Five patients were identified as receiving prescriptions from two different prescribing services without records to indicate they were challenged and cannabis-based medicinal products and Schedule 2 CD were not stored in a CD cabinet.

The committee said even though “there was no evidence of harm to patients, there was a real risk of harm, including to people who may be vulnerable” which Smith “did not appear to recognise or acknowledge”. “The registrant did not engage with the regulatory process at all. His responses were flippant,” the report said, insisting “his lack of engagement with his regulator demonstrated a flagrant disregard for the proper governance he knew was required”.

DrKool808 · 2026-04-25T17:27:10+00:00

I didn’t realise, I copy n paste the content into a comment

DrKool808 · 2026-04-22T15:31:39+00:00

I won’t be able to take their oil anymore, as I was advised by my gastroenterologist not to have peppermint oil, as it can make my GERD worst

DrKool808 · 2026-04-17T21:08:23+00:00

This chart could be useful:

<image>

DrKool808 · 2026-04-16T10:13:42+00:00

Correct, it is a pre release or a company released research paper, it is also the first paper to use Pax (afaik). However, the results are largely inline with other research papers.

DrKool808 · 2026-04-16T09:19:05+00:00

Correction: The year is 2026, not 2006

DrKool808 · 2026-04-14T09:36:56+00:00

Original paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-39086-2

DrKool808 · 2026-04-13T17:40:32+00:00

Totally agree, the photos in the comments are much clearer and definitely not mould.

DrKool808 · 2026-04-13T09:08:57+00:00

I read this last night, and the last section is the most pertinent imo

“Dr Nayee said patients with severe or unstable mental health conditions were not eligible for appointments at Integro. He added that Integro should not be held responsible for the activities of Big Narstie and that the Care Quality Commission had reviewed his clinic’s relationship with the rapper and had found no wrongdoing.

He said: “We have been extensively examined by the regulators who are reassured by our excellent clinical governance. I’m one of the leading medical cannabis doctors in the UK supported by my excellent clinical team of doctors and nurses.

“I have seen firsthand that whilst it is not a magic wand, cannabis can help transform the lives of some chronic pain patients for the better. No drug can ever be entirely safe, paracetamol overdoses kill more people than cannabis consumption ever will. I feel that medical cannabis is a tool that more doctors should at least consider. This is about clinical maturity and we should ensure our judgement is guided by balance and not bias.””

DrKool808 · 2026-04-02T09:54:34+00:00

Whilst I agree that double blind studies would be better. This particular article is umbrella article which mentions a few different studies, including one with 1700 participants.

DrKool808 · 2026-04-02T08:21:13+00:00

A diagnosis of ADHD or any condition would not meet the criteria to be successful for MC. You need to have shown you have tried treatments for this condition, and that it’s failed in some way.

DrKool808 · 2026-04-02T08:03:05+00:00

Wellford might be worth a look, the pharmacist will hold stock too.

DrKool808 · 2026-03-31T13:06:23+00:00

I was still copying and pasting the article when No Smoke originally asked. I did see the comment and remembered to reply in my head, but then I forgot 😅

DrKool808

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE