Cannabinoids and Anxiety: Evidence Review

If you need help now

If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself in the US, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline). [1] In a medical emergency in the US, call 911. This page is education, not treatment advice. Do not stop prescribed anxiety medicines on your own.

How to read this page

This page summarizes research on cannabinoids and anxiety. It gives no amounts and does not recommend using cannabis or CBD for anxiety. Evidence labels used: promising but limited, mixed, insufficient evidence and evidence of harm. A "systematic review" pools all trials found on a question; "certainty" describes how confident reviewers are in the result.

The short answer

CBD

• Social anxiety. NCCIH describes one study of 24 people with social anxiety disorder who had less anxiety in a simulated public speaking test after CBD than after placebo. [5] That tested one stressful moment, not daily life.
• Randomized trials in anxiety disorders. A 2024 systematic review of 11 randomized trials found conflicting results across disorders, but suggested CBD may reduce anxiety with minimal side effects compared with placebo; the authors called for better-designed trials. [6]
• Non-seizure uses in general. A 2022 review of 58 randomized trials found CBD appears anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing), while its effectiveness for other conditions was highly variable. Nearly half the studies involved healthy people and 72% had fewer than 40 participants. [7]
• Newest summaries. A 2026 JAMA Internal Medicine review describes emerging low-certainty evidence that CBD alone may reduce anxiety in people with anxiety disorders. [2] A 2026 Lancet Psychiatry meta-analysis of 54 trials found no significant effects on anxiety outcomes and generally low certainty. [4]

Together these studies support promising but limited for CBD, not a proven treatment. No cannabis or CBD product is FDA-approved for anxiety. [8]

THC and cannabis

A 2019 Lancet Psychiatry review of 31 anxiety studies (17 randomized, 605 participants) found very low-quality evidence that pharmaceutical THC, with or without CBD, gave a small improvement in anxiety in people with other medical conditions, mainly chronic pain and multiple sclerosis. [3] It found scarce evidence that cannabinoids improve anxiety disorders, and pharmaceutical THC increased the number of people with adverse events. [3]

The 2026 JAMA Internal Medicine review found insufficient evidence on long-term THC-predominant cannabis for anxiety, depression and ADHD, and warned of substantial risk of adverse mental-health effects. [2]

THC can cause anxiety. NIDA lists anxiety, fear, distrust, panic and hallucinations among intoxication effects, more common with large amounts, strong (high-THC) products, or little experience. [1] A 2026 JAMA review reports generalized anxiety disorder in 19.1% of people using high-potency cannabis versus 11.6% using low-potency cannabis; that is an association, not proof of cause. [9] Withdrawal after heavy use can bring nervousness and anxiety too. [1] Read anxiety, panic and paranoia reactions and dependence and withdrawal.

Who should be especially careful

The 2026 JAMA Internal Medicine review advises avoiding cannabis in people at elevated risk, including adolescents and young adults, people with bipolar or psychotic disorders, pregnant individuals and those at risk of substance use disorders. [2] See psychosis and mania vulnerability and adolescents and young adults.

Product quality

Trials use defined preparations. A US analysis of 202 commercial CBD products found 74% deviated from their labeled CBD amount by at least 10%. [10] The FDA says CBD can cause drowsiness and mood changes, can injure the liver, and interacts with other medicines. [11]

Other approaches

Our anxiety disorders guide and stress guide cover other options, and meditation and mindfulness for stress, sleep and anxiety summarizes evidence for those practices. A clinician can help choose care that fits you.