Cannabis for Postpartum Depression

Two weeks ago today my husband and I welcomed our first baby into this crazy world. Jax Richard Epps will grow up knowing the truth about this miracle plant and will help us spread the good word one day. I apologize for my absence the past two weeks, thank you for your understanding.  Today's blog is in honor of Jax...


          CANNABIS FOR POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION



Definition: Postpartum depression (PPD), also called postnatal depression, is a form of clinical depression which can affect women, and less frequently men, after childbirth. Studies report prevalence rates among women from 5% to 25%, but methodological differences among the studies make the actual prevalence rate unclear. Among men, in particular new fathers, the incidence of postpartum depression has been estimated to be between 1.2% and 25.5%.

Thomas F. Denson, PhD, Professor of Psychology at the California State University at Long Beach, and Mitch Earleywine, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology at the State University of New York at Albany, wrote the following in their Apr. 2006 study titled "Decreased Depression in Marijuana Users," published in Addictive Behaviors:

"Those who consume marijuana occasionally or even daily have lower levels of depressive symptoms than those who have never tried marijuana. Specifically, weekly users had less depressed mood, more positive affect, and fewer somatic complaints than non-users. Daily users reported less depressed mood and more positive affect than non-users.

George McMahon, author and medical marijuana patient in the US Federal Drug Administration's Investigational New Drug (IND) program, stated in his 2003 book Prescription Pot:

"People who have never struggled with a life threatening or disabling illness often do not comprehend how debilitating the resulting depression can be. Long days spent struggling with sickness can wear patients down, suppress their appetites and slowly destroy their wills to live. This psychological damage can result in physiological effects that may be the difference between living and dying.

The elevated mood associated with cannabis definitely affected my health in a positive manner. I was more engaged with life. I took walks and rode my bike, things I never considered doing before in my depressed state, even if I had been physically capable. I ate regular meals and I slept better at night. All of these individual factors contributed to a better overall sense of well-being."

Tod Mikuriya, MD, a former psychiatrist and medical coordinator, was quoted as stating the following in the 1997 book Marijuana Medical Handbook written by Dale Gieringer, Ed Rosenthal, and Gregory T. Carter:

"The power of cannabis to fight depression is perhaps its most important property."

 Frank Lucido, MD, a private practice physician, stated in his article "Implementation of the Compassionate Use Act in a Family Medical Practice: Seven Years Clinical Experience," available on his website (accessed June 11, 2012):

"With appropriate use of medical cannabis, many of these [cannabis-using] patients have been able to reduce or eliminate the use of opiates and other pain pills, ritalin, tranquilizers, sleeping pills, anti-depressants and other psychiatric medicines, as well as to substitute the use of medical cannabis as a harm reduction measure for specific problematic or abused substances with a much more serious risk profile (including alcohol, heroin/opiates, and cocaine)."

Bill Zimmerman, PhD, former President of Americans for Medical Rights (AMR), stated in his 1998 book Is Marijuana the Right Medicine For You?:

"Some patients have found the mood altering effects of marijuana to be helpful for treating mood disorders such as anxiety, depression and bipolar (manic-depressive) illness. Using marijuana to treat mood disorders was described in medical writings in the 19th and early 20th centuries...

The mental component of the pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) often causes psychological problems and is now technically classified as an atypical (not typical) depression. Many women report benefit from using marijuana to improve the symptoms of PMS."