Frequent Cannabis Users Wake Up With More “Stress Hormone”

Researchers at Oregon State University found that frequent cannabis users had higher cortisol levels immediately after waking than nonusers.

The cortisol rise after waking was similar in both groups, suggesting the awakening response itself did not differ much.

The findings point to possible changes in the body’s stress-response system, including the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis.

The study does not show that cannabis use causes the cortisol difference, only that the two are associated.