Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine is set to dive into the realms of medical cannabis, armed with a $10 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The ambitious study aims to closely monitor 10,000 medical cannabis patients throughout the United States, shedding light on the efficacy and potential risks associated with therapeutic cannabis use.
Ryan Vandrey, a key figure behind the Johns Hopkins Cannabis and Health Research Initiative and a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, emphasized the critical need for comprehensive data in the realm of medical cannabis. “While cannabis is available as a therapeutic in the majority of U.S. states, we’re lacking the quality of data that we have with other medicines,” stated Vandrey in a press release.
The study’s primary objective is to offer valuable insights to clinicians regarding the impacts of therapeutic cannabis use. Vandrey explained, “Our mission with this research is to understand the health impacts of therapeutic cannabis use. We hope to provide some starting points for understanding what types of products may or may not be helpful and what types of products may be riskier for use in certain populations or for certain therapeutic purposes.”
Johannes Thrul, associate professor of mental health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a collaborator on the project, provided insights into the study’s methodology. “We’re tracking them with multiple assessments over the course of their first year, with more tightly spaced assessments toward the beginning because our assumption is that as people are starting their medical cannabis journey, they’re likely going to try different products until they find the products that best help them with their symptoms,” Thrul explained.
As the medical cannabis landscape continues to evolve, this comprehensive study from Johns Hopkins holds promise in filling critical gaps in understanding the impacts of therapeutic cannabis use, providing a foundation for informed medical decisions.
