Meditation and cannabis are sometimes associated with relaxation, mindfulness and stress reduction. But does cannabis actually improve meditation? Current research does not provide strong evidence that cannabis makes meditation more effective.
Cannabis and Mindfulness Are Different
Mindfulness meditation generally involves deliberately paying attention to the present moment without judgement. Cannabis, particularly products containing THC, can alter perception, attention, memory and awareness.
A controlled study found that THC changed several subjective measures of mindfulness and altered consciousness, but it also increased mind-wandering. This illustrates why feeling different during meditation should not automatically be interpreted as improved mindfulness.
Can Meditation Help Cannabis Users?
Interestingly, stronger research has examined the opposite question: whether mindfulness can help people manage cannabis use.
A recent randomized trial studied a brief mindfulness intervention in adults with cannabis use disorder. Earlier research also found associations between greater momentary mindfulness and lower cannabis craving, although this does not prove that mindfulness itself caused the reduction.
Overall, reviews describe the evidence for mindfulness specifically for cannabis-use disorder as limited, and more research is needed.
What Should Medicinal Cannabis Patients Know?
Someone prescribed medicinal cannabis may experience relaxation or changes in mood and perception, but these effects vary according to the THC/CBD content, dose and individual response.
Meditation can be practised without cannabis, and cannabis should not be considered necessary for achieving mindfulness.
Patients using prescribed medicinal cannabis should follow their healthcare practitioner’s instructions and avoid driving or safety-sensitive activities while impaired.
Important: This article is for general education and does not recommend using cannabis for meditation or treating stress or anxiety.
