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Study: Little Evidence Cannabis Treats Mental Health

Is medical cannabis a dangerous scam preying on vulnerable patients or a misunderstood treatment let down by flawed research?

Published 2 hours ago

Study: Little Evidence Cannabis Treats Mental Health

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Above: Cannabis plants in a grow room at the Aurora Cannabis Inc. River facility in Bradford, Canada, on Sept. 30, 2025. Image credit: Cole Burston/Bloomberg/Getty Images

The Spin

Establishment-critical narrative

The largest-ever review of cannabis and mental health found zero evidence that it treats anxiety, depression or PTSD — yet over a million Australians were prescribed it anyway. For-profit cannabis clinics are financially incentivized to push products with no proven benefit, and THC-heavy formulas are actively linked to psychosis and addiction. Regulators have dropped the ball, and it's patients who are paying the price.

Australian Financial Review The Sun Australian Medical Association

Pro-establishment narrative

Randomized controlled trials are a poor fit for cannabis research — they exclude patients with comorbidities, cost a fortune and don't reflect real clinical practice. Real-world evidence from over 3,500 patients shows cannabis-based medicines genuinely help people, and a natural cannabis compound, d-limonene, demonstrably reduces THC-induced anxiety. Dismissing medical cannabis based on flawed trial methodology leaves suffering patients without a viable option.

Cannabis Industry Council Johns Hopkins Medicine

Narrative C

The evidence is piling up that cannabis isn’t just ineffective for mental health — it's actually making it worse. Brain scans show reduced activity in key regions, while large studies link frequent use to rising anxiety, depression and suicidality. What’s sold as “treatment” is often a crutch for a generation realizing its benefits were overstated, as only the conscious cultivation of presence and self-awareness can foster true psychological growth.

Camus on X New York Post

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Codie Sanchez on X