The lion’s share of people with symptoms of depression who consumed common and commercially available cannabis to cope reported anti-depressant effects, at least in the short term, notes a new study out of the United States.

In fact, “95.8 per cent of users experienced symptom relief following consumption with an average symptom intensity reduction of -3.76 points on a 0-10 visual analogue scale,” reports the study published last month in the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine.

Researchers sought to explore the real-time effects of consuming flower as a treatment for depression symptoms. To find an answer to how weed affects low mood and behavioural motivations, they observed 1,819 people who completed 5,876 cannabis self-administration sessions using the ReleafApp between July 6, 2016 and Aug. 7, 2019.

The patent-pending app allows users to anonymously track their real-time and historic uses of specific cannabis and CBD products, including the product itself, where it was bought, why it is being used, how much was used, symptom relief and any side-effects.

The immediate relief experienced seems not to be associated with labelled plant phenotypes — such as whether it was indica, sativa or hybrid — or the combustion method, the study states.

“Across cannabinoid levels, THC levels were the strongest independent predictors of symptom relief, while CBD levels, instead, were generally unrelated to real-time changes in symptom intensity levels,” it adds.

Weed use corresponded to increased depression in as much as 20 per cent of consumers. / Photo: HighGradeRoots / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Photo: HighGradeRoots / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Of course, the picture was not completely rosy. Despite the general reduction of depressive effects, researchers do acknowledge “the magnitude of the effect and extent of side effect experiences vary with chemotypic properties of the plant.”

Additionally, weed use corresponded to increased depression in as much as 20 per cent of consumers. That said, 64 per cent of users reported positive side effects corresponding to decreased depression — think feeling happy, optimistic, peaceful or relaxed.

“Depression is the most common mental health disorder in the U.S., affecting roughly one in five adults,” notes a statement from researchers. Depression, they add, “is at the core of numerous other health conditions, including cancer, substance use disorders, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, dementia, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic pain and other physical disabilities.”

“This study shows an obvious space for cannabis even within a conventional antidepressant medication regime, for short-term relief during the weeks of often very severe depressive symptoms.”/ Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto Getty Images/iStockphoto

And although conventional pharmaceutical medications for treating depression are certainly available, they “typically require several weeks or even months to begin to alleviate symptoms of depression,” and have potential side effects that include sedation, agitation, anxiety, anorgasmia, demotivation and suicidal ideation.

“This study shows an obvious space for cannabis even within a conventional antidepressant medication regime, for short-term relief during the weeks of often very severe depressive symptoms before conventional antidepressants become effective,” Dr. Sarah Stith, an assistant professor in the university’s Department of Economics, says in the statement.

“With no end to the depression epidemic insight, and given the limitations and potential severe negative side effects of conventional antidepressant medications, there is a real need for people to be able to treat mood disturbances with natural, safe and effective medications, and the Cannabis plant checks off all three boxes,” adds investigator Jacob Miguel Vigil in the university’s Department of Psychology.