Subscriptions - Maximum Yield Cannabis USA September/October 2020 | Page 97

Medical cannabis patients have long looked to
cannabis for relief from anxiety and stress. Many
cannabis advocates use the medicine as a safe
alternative to harmful prescription drugs. Nonetheless,
and positive experiences aside, cannabis can still prove
a rather precarious anxiety medicine, mostly because our
scientific understanding of cannabis is still in its infancy.
When consuming cannabis, different people report drastically
different effects of the drug on their anxiety levels.
Some people report that cannabis relaxes them while
others are on the brink of full-on panic attacks with a
single puff. Needless to say, this situation can make
for a harrowing experience if you are predisposed to
anxiety as well as being new to cannabis.
While divergent effects make it challenging to
prescribe cannabis as anxiety medicine according to the
objective parameters of science, there are a few “safe”
paths you can follow in figuring out what works for you.
Of these, studying the unique properties of the primary
cannabinoids (THC and CBD) is a great starting point.
THC and Anxiety
As most of us know, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the predominant
cannabinoid featured in cannabis products. Moreover, it
is the chemical compound responsible for the famous “high”
feeling associated with cannabis usage. While THC has a
mellowing effect for many users, others report it greatly exacerbating
their anxiety. Luckily for those interested in exploring
cannabis as an anxiety medicine, there are a few routes that
can be followed in developing a safe treatment plan.
A primary idea in the cannabis and anxiety discussion has
to do with the differences presented by indicas and sativas.
To this end, popular cannabis culture widely accepts the
claim that indicas provide a “mellow” experience while
sativas induce an “energetic” high. Therefore, one could
easily deduce indicas are a better choice for anxiety treatment
because of their calming effect. Yet, like many elements
in the field of medical cannabis, there is little to no actual
scientific data to back these claims. Therefore, if you are interested
in exploring indicas versus sativas as potential anxiety
medicines, you will likely have to follow the advice of other
consumers, as opposed to an actual doctor. If you trust in the
opinions of thousands of cannabis aficionados, it’s likely
indicas are a better bet for THC-based anxiety meds.
If you are new to THC, or predisposed to anxiety,
many experts recommend starting out with
microdosing. Controlling your THC
consumption in small increments
can help you find that sweet spot
where the medicine calms
you down. Also, it’s worth
noting THC-infused
edibles can prove
quite challenging concerning anxiety, as new users tend to
take too much too fast. To avoid such episodes, be sure to get
your THC-infused edibles from a reputable source and start
extremely slow to the tune of 1 mg to 2.5 mg per dose. By being
patient, you may be able to find the proper amount of THC to
help quell your anxiety, instead of enhancing it.
CBD and Anxiety
Cannabidiol (CBD) has taken the cannabis industry by storm
the past five years and is now the cannabinoid most popularly
associated with anxiety relief. CBD is considered non-psychoactive
and is produced by both cannabis and hemp
plants. Because CBD is non-psychoactive, it does not produce
the “high” feeling generally associated with cannabis.
Importantly, this is one of the main reasons why people look to
CBD for relief from anxiety.
“The responsible cannabis
consumer should carefully study
cannabinoid medicines and develop
an anxiety treatment regime
that is both safe and effective.”
You don’t have to go very far these days to run into CBD,
as products are sold at most major retail stores. According
to the Health Harvard website, “CBD has been touted for
a wide variety of health issues” They continue, “CBD is
commonly used to address anxiety, and for patients who suffer
through the misery of insomnia.” While Harvard scientists
acknowledge the fact many people use CBD for anxiety, they
have trouble making claims that CBD is a proven anxiety
medicine. Ideally, this situation will be rectified in the coming
years with continued research.
While medical cannabis remains largely on the fringe
of mainstream medicine, CBD has seamlessly infiltrated
mainstream society in just a few short years. Interestingly,
this has to do primarily with the fact people can experiment
with CBD without the fear of getting too high that comes with
THC. This notion is especially true for those suffering from
anxiety disorders. If you are interested in using CBD to treat
anxiety, be sure your products come from a reputable source
and they include specific dosage instructions. Looking to the
future, as the FDA continues to regulate the hemp-derived
CBD industry more vigorously, consumers will find more
reliability with CBD medicine.
Cannabis can be a great anxiety medicine if it is treated with
respect and humility. The responsible cannabis consumer
should carefully study cannabinoid medicines and develop
an anxiety treatment regime that is both safe and effective.
Depending on your disposition, this could include THC or CBD
medicines, as well as blending both popular cannabinoids.
While everyone experiences cannabis in a unique way, there
are some controls you can develop to ensure your experience
is helpful with anxiety. For starters, microdosing offers
an excellent introduction to cannabis medicine, especially
concerning products like THC edibles. Moreover, you should
carefully study different consumption methods to figure out
what works. Needless to say, dabbing and bongs should be
avoided by those looking for mellow anxiety relief. In the end,
by starting slow and figuring out what works, you can likely
create an anxiety treatment plan that gives you relief from
stress as well as prescription meds.
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