Cannabis Doesn’t Cure Loneliness—It Exploits It

In May 2026, the largest review of medicinal cannabis ever conducted concluded that the drug is ineffective for treating anxiety, depression, or PTSD. Millions of people are using it for exactly those reasons. In this solo episode of The Pressures of Privilege, Diana Oehrli traces the real epidemic running beneath the addiction crisis: loneliness. She opens with her own story, from roaming the halls of a Swiss castle as a child to more than 20 years of sobriety, then turns to the story of a young woman whose isolation left her vulnerable to cannabis dependence, an abusive relationship, and a drug-induced psychosis that no treatment center fully undid. Diana examines how the cannabis industry is deploying the 1950s Big Tobacco playbook, why modern high-potency THC strains stimulate opioid receptors in ways earlier generations never encountered, and why the substance delays healing rather than providing it. If you have ever reached for something to fill the silence, or watched someone you love do the same, this episode was made for you. Chapters (00:00:04) - Cannabis doesn't cure loneliness, it exploits it(00:06:03) - How to Manage Your