The medical cannabis program in Pennsylvania saw a significant shift in diagnoses after anxiety was added as a qualifying condition, according to a recent study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and Johns Hopkins University. Published in the prestigious journal Annals of Internal Medicine, the study analyzed data from the Pennsylvania Department of Health on medical cannabis certifications issued from November 2017 to December 2023.
Prior to the addition of anxiety as a qualifying condition, chronic pain was the predominant diagnosis, accounting for 67% of certifications, followed by PTSD at 16%. However, after anxiety was added, these numbers dropped to 41% and 11% respectively, with anxiety quickly becoming the most common diagnosis at 60%. The researchers noted that some certifications listed multiple conditions.
The study highlighted the rapid increase in the number of certifications issued each month following the addition of anxiety as a qualifying condition. However, the researchers were unable to determine the overall impact on the size of the program or the extent to which participants switched to or added anxiety as a diagnosis.
Lead author Coleman Drake, Ph.D., emphasized the lack of evidence supporting cannabis as an effective treatment for anxiety disorders compared to other qualifying conditions like chronic pain. He expressed concern that adding anxiety to the program may give patients the impression that cannabis is an effective treatment for anxiety, despite the limited evidence.
Drake also noted the challenges in conducting research on cannabis due to regulatory barriers and limited funding. He stressed the importance of filling knowledge gaps to better understand the effects of cannabis on different health outcomes and individual circumstances.
The study’s findings underscore the need for further research on the efficacy of cannabis for treating anxiety disorders and other conditions. With the increasing use of cannabis and evolving cannabis markets, it is crucial to address these knowledge gaps to ensure the safe and effective use of medical cannabis.
Additional authors on the study included Linh Tran and Matthew Eisenberg, Ph.D., from Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. The study, titled “Medical Cannabis Certifications After Pennsylvania Added Anxiety Disorders as a Qualifying Condition,” was published in Annals of Internal Medicine in 2025.
For more information, the study can be accessed through the DOI 10.7326/ANNALS-25-01037. The research was conducted by the University of Pittsburgh and provides valuable insights into the impact of adding anxiety as a qualifying condition in Pennsylvania’s medical cannabis program.
