Medical cannabis with both CBD and varying amounts of THC is continually being demonstrated as being a beneficial treatment for depression and depressive symptoms. The substances in the cannabis plant which could cause the known side effects are actually the flavonoids, terpenes and minor cannabinoids. In comparison, the cannabis flower with relatively high levels of THC has been shown to reduce depressive feelings.
In an anonymous study of over 1,800 participants, the patients reported improvement in their symptoms only moments after having consumed the cannabis flower, in its whole, dried and natural state. These are known as the cannabis buds, and on a scale of 0 to 10, the patients reported a nearly four point improvement.