Purpose of Review <p> To clarify the relationship between cannabis use and affective symptoms, we conducted a systematic review to determine whether early and protracted cannabis abstinence are associated with changes in affective symptoms.</p> Recent Findings <p> We reviewed 16 studies conducted in controlled, non-treatment laboratory settings that assessed affective symptoms across abstinence periods ranging from 3 to 45 days. Most studies reported improvements in at least one affective symptom, with effects most consistently observed in studies employing abstinence periods greater than 28 days. Improvements in depression were more frequently reported in studies that included participants with psychiatric/neurological disorders, a pattern not observed for anxiety. </p> Summary <p> Our findings do not support the notion that cannabis use alleviates affective symptoms. Instead, results suggest that cannabis abstinence leads to improvements in affective outcomes, particularly when sustained for at least 28 days. For depression, this effect may be more pronounced in people with psychiatric/neurological comorbidities.</p>