Frequent Cannabis Users Wake With Elevated Cortisol
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- Oregon State University researchers found that frequent cannabis users had more cortisol — the body's primary stress hormone — already circulating when they woke up, even though the morning cortisol rise over the next 30 minutes was similar to non-users.
- The team measured the cortisol awakening response (CAR), which peaks around 30 minutes after waking, by comparing cortisol levels immediately upon waking with levels measured 30 minutes later.
- The study, published in the journal Cannabis, did not replicate earlier research that found a blunted cortisol awakening response in frequent cannabis users; the researchers attributed the discrepancy to differences in sample characteristics and analytic strategies.
- Cannabis use among young adults has nearly doubled over the past 15 years: 29% of adults aged 19–30 report using cannabis in the previous 30 days, and more than 10% report using it at least 20 times in a 30-day period.
- Lead author Anita Cservenka of the OSU College of Liberal Arts said morning cortisol could serve as a neurobiological marker of problematic cannabis use, noting a potential feedback cycle in which a poorly regulated stress system encourages further use, though the cross-sectional design does not establish causation.
- The researchers noted that chronically elevated cortisol has been associated with greater risks of anxiety, depression, and heart disease, underscoring the stakes of disrupting the body's stress-response system.
Why it matters: With 29% of young adults reporting monthly cannabis use and over 10% using it 20+ times a month, the study identifies a potential neurobiological marker of problematic use — a feedback loop between disrupted stress regulation and continued heavy use could affect millions of regular users who believe cannabis is helping them manage stress.
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