Anxiety is a highly treatable and common disorder, affecting 40 million adults in the United States. Those with anxiety are more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric disorders, but only 37% receive treatment. The most common forms of treatment for anxiety are therapy and medication. Everyone’s needs are different, so there is not one solution for anyone’s anxiety disorder. I’ve personally sought treatment through therapy and cannabis, and I’ve found what works for me (hint: it was not therapy).

Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of about 200 known cannabinoids, and it is marketed for use in relieving anxiety, depression, pain, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s. There are studies which show that CBD can help reduce symptoms of anxiety, but the only FDA approved use is for epilepsy. CBD can be found in all cannabis plants, so it can be produced from either hemp or marijuna plants. 

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is another cannabinoid which is marketed for its psychoactive effects and relieving symptoms of anxiety. Products which are marketed for their delta-9 (D-9) THC content are labeled as marijuana, which is federally illegal. Marijuana generally has about 10-30% delta-9 THC concentration, unlike hemp which has less than .3% delta-9 THC concentration. Another form of THC which is becoming common is delta-8 (D-8) THC. This product is not considered marijuana because it is produced from hemp plants. While not federally regulated, this product is thought to produce similar yet less potent effects than delta-9 THC. In some states, marijuana is legalized to be sold and used medicinally for anxiety. To see if your state allows marijuana sales, check out: https://www.ncsl.org/research/health/state-medical-marijuana-laws.aspx


    The Endocannabinoid System (ECS) is simply the system in your brain which processes cannabinoids. This system is very important for regulating our learning and memory, emotional processing, sleep, temperature control, pain control, inflammatory and immune responses, and eating. There are two main endocannabinoids: anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglyerol (2-AG). AEA is connected to memory, appetite, sleep, and pain relief and 2-AG activates endocannabinoid receptors. The two main receptors, CB1 and CB2, are found in the nervous systems. The CB1 receptor is in the central nervous system (brain and spine) and the CB2 receptor is in the peripheral nervous system (throughout the rest of the body).

When treating anxiety with CBD and THC, it is important to start with a low dosage to test out how their ECS reacts. There is not enough research to describe exactly how cannabinoids like CBD and THC can affect anxiety, but some studies suggest that it has to do with the effects that these chemicals have on serotonin levels. While dosing with cannabinoids, it is most common for patients to take capsules of oil, administer oil with a dropper, ingest infused foods, smoke flower, or smoke concentrates (wax). Most commercialized cannabis products will state how much CBD and THC is estimated to be in a product and offer multiple options. This allows consumers the ability to choose and be aware of how much they are dosing. For example, there are different doses available at The Hemp Source in these CBD gummies.

     My personal experience with cannabinoids has lead me to understand what works for me and how each one affects me. I know that I have experienced anxiety reduction with high doses of CBD and low doses of THC. I’ve experienced success in CBD topicals, but not THC topicals. I’ve also gotten desired results from using THC smokeables, but not from smoking other cannabinoids like CBD. Most of my experience with cannabis has been smoking THC products to help with anxiety, sleep, and appetite. I’ve most recently used delta-8 THC concentrate to alleviate my anxiety and help increase my appetite. This experience, and my professional experience with industrial hemp products, has led me to pursue careers in the cannabis industry.