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Leclerc L, Fakra E, Pignon B, Benyamina A, Gaillard R, Rolland B. Opinions of French psychiatrists on the regulatory status of cannabis: Results from the "PsyCan - Encéphale" national online survey. L'ENCEPHALE 2024:S0013-7006(23)00215-4. [PMID: 38311481 DOI: 10.1016/j.encep.2023.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To explore the opinions of French psychiatrists toward the legalization of medical or recreational use of cannabis in France. METHODS Psycan was an anonymous Internet survey conducted between September 28, 2021 and March 29, 2022, among subscribers of the Encéphale Online community, i.e., approximately 4000 French psychiatrists. Participants were asked to complete a structured questionnaire, collecting their socio-demographic features, clinical experience, opinions toward cannabis legalization, and perceived impact of cannabis derivatives for psychiatric disorders. Logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with being for or against cannabis legalization. RESULTS In total, 413 psychiatrists answered the survey, of whom 253 (61.3%) declared being in favour of recreational cannabis, and 349 (84.4%) of medical cannabis. Being in favour of legalization of recreational cannabis was negatively associated with being female (odd ratio [OR]=0.61; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.41-0.93), and with the frequency of meeting patients with cannabis use disorder (OR=0.60; 95%CI=0.43-0.83). Most respondents were concerned about the development of psychotic disorders. The most frequent pro-legalization arguments were improved prevention, better control of product content, and better protection of youth, respectively. Arguments against legalization were increased societal damages, increased impact on health, including mental health. CONCLUSIONS A majority of French psychiatrists were in favour of the marketing of medical cannabis, and, to a lesser extent, the legalization of recreational cannabis. For recreational cannabis, the proportion of pro-legalization psychiatrists was slightly more elevated than that found in the French general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léa Leclerc
- Service universitaire d'addictologie de Lyon (SUAL), hospices civils de Lyon, pavillon K, hôpital Édouard-Herriot, 5, place d'Arsonval, 69003 Lyon, France.
| | - Eric Fakra
- Service de psychiatrie, CHU Saint-Étienne, université Jean-Monnet, Saint-Étienne, France; PSYR2, CRNL, CNRS UMR5292, Inserm U1028, UCBL1, université de Lyon, Bron, France
| | - Baptiste Pignon
- AP-HP, hôpitaux universitaires « H. Mondor », DMU IMPACT, Inserm, IMRB, Translational Neuropsychiatry, Fondation FondaMental, université Paris-Est-Créteil (UPEC), 94010 Créteil, France
| | - Amine Benyamina
- Centre d'enseignement, de recherche et de traitement des addictions, hôpital universitaire Paul-Brousse (AP-HP), université Paris- Saclay, France UR PSYCOMADD, Villejuif, France
| | - Raphaël Gaillard
- Inserm, UMR S894, Paris Cité University and Sorbonne University, Paris, France; Centre hospitalier Sainte-Anne, Paris, France; Centre de psychiatrie et neurosciences, Paris, France
| | - Benjamin Rolland
- Service universitaire d'addictologie de Lyon (SUAL), hospices civils de Lyon, pavillon K, hôpital Édouard-Herriot, 5, place d'Arsonval, 69003 Lyon, France; PSYR2, CRNL, CNRS UMR5292, Inserm U1028, UCBL1, université de Lyon, Bron, France
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Strube C, Comazzi RD, Löwinger D, Auer R, Moggi F, Pfeifer P. Attitudes of Swiss psychiatrists towards cannabis regulation and medical use in psychiatry: a cross-sectional study. J Cannabis Res 2023; 5:40. [PMID: 38057933 DOI: 10.1186/s42238-023-00210-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Changes in regulation for cannabis for nonmedical use (CNMU) are underway worldwide. Switzerland amended the law in 2021 allowing pilot trials evaluating regulative models for cannabis production and distribution. Simultaneously, cannabis for medical use (CMU) in psychiatry is a growing issue, asked for by patients and being discussed by medical professionals. METHODS From December 2021 to February 2022, we conducted an online survey of psychiatrists in Switzerland. The survey comprised questions on attitudes towards regulative models for CNMU and towards prescribing CMU for mental disorders. RESULTS We contacted 2010 psychiatrists in Switzerland. A total of 274 (14%) participated in the survey. Sixty-four percent agreed to a regulated legalization of CNMU, and 89% would welcome pilot trials in Switzerland assessing models for regulating CNMU with those from a French-speaking region being more skeptical. Forty-nine percent of psychiatrists agree that CMU might have a therapeutic effect in mental disorders, but 50% agree that there is not enough scientific evidence yet. Participants working in an inpatient setting or in a French-speaking region as well as those with a longer duration of practice were more skeptical on CMU for mental health. CONCLUSIONS Most surveyed Swiss psychiatrists favor the regulation of CNMU and the conduct of pilot trials. Despite little evidence and potential negative consequences, many participating Swiss psychiatrists agreed that cannabis could be efficacious in the treatment of some mental disorders advocating for more research in this topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constantin Strube
- University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Renato Davide Comazzi
- Institute of Primary Health Care Bern (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of General Internal Medicine, University Hospital Bern, Inselspital, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Dimitri Löwinger
- Institute of Primary Health Care Bern (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Reto Auer
- Institute of Primary Health Care Bern (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Center for Primary Care and Public Health, Unisanté, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Franz Moggi
- University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Pfeifer
- University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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The Characteristics of Clinical Trials on Cannabis and Cannabinoids: A Review of Trials for Therapeutic or Drug Development Purposes. Pharmaceut Med 2022; 36:387-400. [DOI: 10.1007/s40290-022-00447-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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