In a remote within-subjects study, young adults reported better mood and less anxiety while high but showed no changes in implicit or explicit emotion regulation tasks.
Mental health researchers, cannabis users interested in emotional effects
Zero measurable change in emotion regulation despite reported mood improvement
What the researchers found
Participants reported more positive mood and decreased anxiety while intoxicated, but no evidence that acute high-potency cannabis affected implicit (Emotional Go/No-Go) or explicit (cognitive reappraisal) emotion regulation performance.
Why it matters
Many people report using cannabis to manage emotions, but this study suggests the subjective mood improvement may not reflect actual changes in emotion regulation ability.
The numbers in context
12 participants; ages 21-30; all used cannabis at least 1 day/week; tested sober and intoxicated in counterbalanced order.
How the study worked
Remote within-subjects design; 12 young adults (ages 21-30, using cannabis 1+ day/week) completed emotion regulation measures while sober and acutely intoxicated in counterbalanced order; participants smoked cannabis flower at home via videoconferencing observation.
What this study cannot tell us
Very small sample (n=12); only frequent cannabis users included, who may have tolerance; limited to two emotion regulation tasks; no dose standardization; single-session design.
How to read the evidence
Novel remote methodology but very small sample and limited to regular users, making it difficult to draw firm conclusions.
When this study was published
Published 2025
The bigger picture
The disconnect between subjective mood improvement and unchanged cognitive emotion regulation raises questions about whether cannabis truly helps people manage emotions or just makes them feel better temporarily.
Questions still open
- Would infrequent users show different results? Does chronic cannabis use gradually impair emotion regulation even if acute effects are neutral? Could larger samples detect subtle effects?
Common questions
Did cannabis help with emotion regulation?
What was the study design?
Read the original research
A Naturalistic Examination of the Acute Effects of High-Potency Cannabis on Emotion Regulation Among Young Adults: A Pilot Study.
Human psychopharmacology, 40(1), e2915
Citation
Cavalli, Jessica M; Cuttler, Carrie; Cservenka, Anita. (2025). A Naturalistic Examination of the Acute Effects of High-Potency Cannabis on Emotion Regulation Among Young Adults: A Pilot Study.. Human psychopharmacology, 40(1), e2915. https://doi.org/10.1002/hup.2915
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