03/17/2026
đ What we were taught about w**d is outdated.
Sharing this article because this comes up often in my work with individuals trying to manage mood and anxiety symptoms.
Many of us grew up hearing ma*****na is relatively harmless.
I even remember learning in grad school that you canât really get addictedâŚ
âor maybe that was my selective hearing at the time...
But todayâs cannabis is very different.
1990s: 2â5% THC
Now: 15â30% THC
Vapes/edibles/concentrates: 60â90% THC
That level of potency has real mental health implicationsâespecially for developing brains.
We are seeing increased:
anxiety and panic
depression and mood instability
paranoia and distorted thinking
risk of psychosis, particularly in teens/young adults
dependence, especially when used to cope
And an important distinction:
This is less about occasional use at a party, and more about patterns of:
âĄď¸ frequent or daily use
âĄď¸ high-potency products
âĄď¸ using it to manage stress, sleep, or emotions
Those are the patterns most associated with worsening mental health.
This isnât about judgmentâitâs about accurate, current information.
If youâre noticing changes in your teen or young adultâs mood, anxiety, or thinking patterns, itâs worth paying attention.
This is increasingly a mental health and public health conversation.
Ma*****na doesnât help with anxiety, PTSD, depression or other mental health conditions, according to two large, new studies.