10 Aug Frequent cannabis users show higher cortisol levels at awakening compared to controls
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MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Anita Cservenka, PhD
Associate Professor; Director, Substance Use & Neurocognition Lab
School of Psychological Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
Dr. Cservenka, PhD
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Dr. Cservenka: There had been limited research on whether frequent cannabis use is associated with changes in individuals’ diurnal stress activity, which can be measured by examining the cortisol awakening response. However, some previous studies had shown that the typical rise of cortisol in the morning, which is thought to be a marker of our body’s preparation for managing the stressors of the day, may be blunted among individuals with alcohol use disorder. A recent study by Glodosky et al., 2026, also suggested this may be the case among those with chronic cannabis use, so we attempted to replicate those findings. Although we did not find group differences in the cortisol awakening response (the difference in cortisol 30 minutes post-awakening and at the time of awakening) between individuals who engaged in frequent cannabis use relative to controls, we did find that cannabis use may be related to higher levels of cortisol at the time of awakening and this was significantly related to cannabis use consequences.
MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?
Dr. Cservenka: We found that the first cortisol measurement of the day is higher among individuals who engage in frequent cannabis use relative to controls and this was related to cannabis use consequences, suggesting that the problems associated with cannabis use may be an important correlate of stress neuroaxis functioning. These findings could inform treatment efforts aimed at trying to reduce the negative consequences individuals may experience from their cannabis use that could also have potential beneficial effects on their physiological stress systems.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Dr. Cservenka: Future longitudinal studies are needed that recruit adolescents or young adults who have not yet engaged in frequent cannabis use to better understand what baseline diurnal stress neuroendocrine profiles look like among individuals prior to any chronic cannabis use. Follow-up assessments could help determine whether physiological changes in the stress neuroaxis are present among those who later engage in frequent cannabis use. These studies would help disentangle whether any of these stress regulation system alterations are present prior to (predisposing factor) or appear after engaging in (consequence of) frequent cannabis use.
Disclosures: None disclosed.
Citation:
Donner J, Obrochta AN, Cservenka A. Subjective Stress and Diurnal Salivary Cortisol in Adults with Frequent Cannabis Use. Cannabis. 2026. DOI: 10.26828/cannabis/2026/000390
For a broader overview of how cortisol dysregulation and HPA axis dysfunction relate to mental health outcomes, see this MedicalResearch.com overview of emerging research on the biological markers of anxiety and depression.
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Last Updated on August 10, 2026 by Marie Benz MD FAAD