Can Marijuana Help With Depression? New Research Looks Promising
BUFFALO, NY (CBS) – New research claims marijuana shows potential for treating depression.
The research, which was done by the University of Buffalo's Research Institute on Addictions (RIA), used animal models to look at the effects of the components in marijuana and is still in the early stages, but the findings are promising.
Dr. Samir Haj-Dahmane, a senior research scientist on the study, says the next step is to see if using a marijuana extract restores normal behaviors in the animals without leading to addiction.
"Our research thus far has used animal models; there is still a long way to go before we know whether this can be effective in humans," he says on the center's website. "However, we have seen that some people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder have reported relief using marijuana."
That will probably come as no surprise to the pot smokers out there who have been using marijuana for stress relief for years, but it's exciting news for the medical community.
