Pot Smokers In Berlin Wanted For Research
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A new research initiatives seeks to get approval to conduct a study involving 25,000 recreational cannabis users in Berlin, if the German government approves it.
The group, Research Initiative on Cannabis Consumption, hopes to get a study approved with the objective on analyzing the “consequences of cannabis for psychologically healthy, adult consumers.” The study’s objective is to understand the impact of cannabis use after several years. The group was established by a lawyer in Berlin together with a clinical psychology professor from the Medical School Hamburg.
According to a press release, the application entitled “Scientific Study on Cannabis Sequences for Mentally Healthy Adult Consumers” was initially submitted for approval to the Federal Institute of Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) in November 2016. By April 19th of 2016, they submitted an updated application.
In Germany, recreational cannabis use still isn’t legal although medical cannabis was legalized in January this year. The volunteers selected will be entitled to use 30 grams of medical-grade cannabis which is usually only permitted for medical patients to consume each month. This amount would be a little more than the traditional ounce of cannabis although it would be enough to make roughly up to 50 joints. The participants are required to fulfill certain criteria: they should be at least 18 years old, not be first-time cannabis consumers, and shouldn’t have any psychiatric problems or suffer from addiction.
According to Dr. Marko Dörre, lawyer and the chief executive of the study, “In Germany several million people regularly get high on cannabis.” He released a statement after the application was submitted, also adding that “It is time that science is more intensively engaged in a leisure-time consumption.” Dörre adds that over 2,000 citizens of Berlin have already applied to participate in the study. As of the time of writing, it is still unknown if the study will accept foreign volunteers who fulfill the criteria.
“The new assessment will also benefit science,” he adds.
Dr. Thomas Schnel, the research director, “Cannabis as a drug has been largely neglected by research, with the exception of specific subgroups that are conspicuous in the health system, either by being addicted to cannabis or by a severe mental disorder.”
He adds, “Most consumers to not seem to develop either a dependency or clinically relevant mental disorder, so the extent to which cannabis use is effective in these healthy consumers… should therefore be explored more intensively.”
Cannabis Use In Germany
A report earlier this month revealed that cannabis is the most widely used drug in Germany, although still illegal. In 2015, 7.3% of teenagers and 6.1% of adults admitted to using cannabis at least once. Before medical cannabis was legalized earlier this year, only a handful were granted eligibility to consume cannabis, and they had to have serious medical problems in order to legally use. By the time the law was passed, the German government only allowed roughly 1,000 people to legally use the drug.
Today, patients of multiple sclerosis, nausea from chemotherapy, chronic pain or appetite loss and other serious illnesses can now receive prescriptions to use medical cannabis. According to Health Minister Hermann Gröhe, “Seriously ill people must be treated in the best ways possible.”
With Germany’s new law, which is expecting expansion later so that cannabis can be grown with supervision, private cannabis producers can also apply to be legalized by the state although they would have to fulfill strict requirements. Health insurance providers are also required to include the cost of cannabis use to treat illnesses. However, the proponents still don’t expect the law to pave the way for recreational cannabis use. According to Federal Drug Commissioner Marlene Mortlerhttps://www.thelocal.de/20170119/german-parliament-set-to-pass-medical-marijuana-bill, from the conservative group Christian Social Union, “Cannabis as a medicine is certainly not a miracle drug,” she says. “But everyone should have the right to have it paid for when it helps.”
The German Pain Society was welcoming of the law although they also proposed easier access. According to Professor Dr. Michael Schäfer of the German Pain Society, “Current studies and reports from experience clearly show that cannabinoids on the one hand in many cases are only weak pain-relievers, but on the other hand for certain select patients can definitely be helpful.”
He adds, “These patients should therefore be given the opportunity to try such therapy after recommended therapies fail.”
If you are in Germany and interested to apply, you can do so at this website.
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