Sydney Study Finds Cannabis Ineffective for Anxiety
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- University of Sydney conducted the largest systematic review of medicinal cannabis, analyzing 54 randomized controlled trials from 1980‑2025, and found no evidence that it treats anxiety, depression, or PTSD.
- Dr. Jack Wilson, lead author, warned that routine medicinal cannabis use may worsen mental health, increasing risks of psychosis and cannabis use disorder while delaying proven treatments.
- The Lancet Psychiatry published the study, noting limited, low‑quality evidence for cannabis benefits in conditions such as autism, insomnia, and tics, but not for mental health disorders.
- American Medical Association and other medical groups are cited as urging stricter oversight of medicinal cannabis amid rising use (27% of US/Canada adults aged 16‑65, half for mental health).
- NHMRC funded the review; authors disclosed consulting fees from WHO and Therapeutic Goods Administration, but all others reported no competing interests.
Why it matters: Patients seeking relief from anxiety, depression, or PTSD lose a widely used but unproven remedy, while clinicians gain robust evidence to curb prescriptions and regulators receive justification for stricter oversight, addressing concerns about psychosis, addiction, and delayed effective clinical care.
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