This study was published in the journal Addiction, contributing valuable data to the ongoing debate on cannabis legalization.

The findings suggest that legal access to cannabis may lead to improved mental health outcomes and reduced problematic use among consumers.

Concerns that legalization could exacerbate mental health issues were alleviated, as no significant differences in depression or anxiety symptoms were found between the two groups after six months.

An interim assessment indicates a positive shift in the mental state of participants, with Professor Marc Walter stating that legal access reduces the burden on consumers.

By the end of the two-year period, around 300 participants remained in the study, with a noted easing of burdens for those with legal access to cannabis.

The Weed Care study, initiated in January 2023 in Basel, Switzerland, is the first academically designed randomized controlled trial investigating the effects of legal cannabis access on consumption patterns and mental health.

No increase in mental health issues was observed in the group with legal access compared to those using the black market.

Initial findings reveal a slight decrease in problematic cannabis consumption among those with legal access, particularly among participants who also use other drugs.

This research aims to provide scientific evidence to inform ongoing debates about cannabis legalization in Switzerland and beyond.

The research indicates a significant reduction in problematic cannabis use, especially among polydrug users, as noted by lead author Dr. Lavinia Baltes-Flueckiger.

Conducted in collaboration with the Addiction Department of Basel-Stadt and the University of Basel, the study involved approximately 370 participants randomly assigned to either a legal access group or a control group relying on the black market.

Participants in the legal access group were able to purchase cannabis from pharmacies, where they also received counseling and safer use information, while the control group continued to source cannabis illicitly.