Scientists have now proven that cannabis-triggered appetite is a real brain response that could be harnessed to help patients with HIV/AIDS and cancer who struggle to eat enough to maintain their health. A Washington State University and University of Calgary study published in PNAS confirmed that cannabis-induced appetite stimulation is a real, brain-mediated phenomenon that occurs universally regardless of sex, age, BMI, or recent food intake. In a randomized clinical trial of 82 volunteers, participants who vaped cannabis ate significantly more food within 30 minutes than the placebo group.