Does cannabis relieve stress? Washington State University study aimed to find out

 Researchers at Washington State University were interested in seeing whether cannabis use decreased stress, based on both subjective reports and objective measurements of bodily changes associated with stress. That includes, for example, an increase in heart rate during stress. 

The scientists recruited 120 regular users of cannabis to vape a low or moderate dose of cannabis in the lab. They also included a placebo group who vaped without cannabis. Neither the scientists nor the participants knew which group the participants were in during the study.  

All of the participants reported feeling less stressed after vaping – even those in the placebo group. The scientists also found that cannabis appears to have varied effects on stress indicators in the body. For example, the drug significantly elevated heart rate in the moderate-dose group but had no effect on heart rate variability, which typically decreases during stress. 

Carrie Cuttler is an associate professor of psychology and the director of the Cannabis Research Center at Washington State University. She joins us to share more details about the study.

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