New research has shown that a non-intoxicating marijuana product sold in the U.S. could ease moderate to severe anxiety symptoms after only a few weeks of usage.
According to the authors, “Results of the open-label trial show that hemp-derived full-spectrum CBD products similar to what is currently available on the market may both be effective and safe for anxiety treatment.”
Researchers say that the standard formulation of cannabidiol is helpful in evaluating the behavior of consumers outside a laboratory setting.
This trial involved 12 adults who had moderate to severe anxiety. They were all required to abstain marijuana prior to enrollment and for the duration of the 7-week study. The CBD formulation was self-administered twice daily by the participants for six weeks. This equated to 30 milligrams of CBD per day.
Every visit, participants were tested for THC-COOH – a marijuana-metabolite – using a device that uses gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. In a matter of a few days after the start of the trial, many participants experienced improvements in sleep, anxiety, mood, memory, quality-of-life, cognition and executive function. The researchers reported that there were few side effects and no adverse events.
The most common mental illness in this country is anxiety. The new findings could lead to alternative treatment options for anxiety, which is currently treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
In the current study, the authors found that anxiety levels dropped dramatically after just one week. According to the article, first-line anxiety treatments, such as SSRIs may take a few weeks to show their efficacy.
Scientists affiliated with Harvard Medical School’s Department of Psychiatry conducted the study at McLean Hospital – Harvard Medical School’s largest psychiatric hospital. The study was published in Biomedicines (a peer-reviewed journal) August 2025.
Scientists used an exclusive CBD formulation that also contained trace amounts of THC, provided by Charlotte’s Web. The company funded the study. The authors stated that the funders played no part in designing the study, collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data, writing the manuscript, or deciding to publish results.
The paper states that “Findings of this clinical trial provided preliminary evidence that CBD could be effective for anxiety.” It also noted previous research suggesting CBD might work.
The authors warn that further research is required. While the findings of this trial show the efficacy of CBD products in treating anxiety levels ranging from moderate to severe, they caution more study. They concluded: “Given this trial’s potential benefits, double blind, placebo controlled studies of hemp derived high CBD products are warranted in order to obtain robust information regarding the safety, efficacy, and efficiency of CBD-containing product for anxiety.”
This study extends previous research that suggests CBD could be effective in quelling anxiety symptoms.
According to a study partially funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), medical marijuana is associated with “significantly decreased self-reported depression and anxiety” when compared to prior treatment.
One study, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), found that THC can cause anxiety and paranoia. The terpene responsible for this citrusy smell was in marijuana. Researchers wrote that the findings could unlock THC’s maximum therapeutic benefits and protect public safety.
A 2024 industry-sponsored research paper on the anti-anxiety properties of cannabidiol concluded that an oral CBD product effectively treated mild-to-moderate anxiety as well as depression and poor sleeping quality associated with it, without any serious adverse effects being observed.
Another study, published in 2024 by the journal Adolescent Health, Medicine and Therapy examined the medical marijuana use of U.S. patients under 21. Researchers discovered that many minors and younger adults qualify for cannabis programs in states for the same reasons as adults. These include anxiety, PTSD, chronic pain and chronic illness.