What topics does this cannabis study cover?

This study covers research on: THC, Mental Health, Addiction.

Where was this research published?

Published in Drug and alcohol dependence on September 5, 2026.

Swiss pharmacy access was not linked to worse mental health

Q: What did this research study find?

Among **374 regular cannabis users** followed for **1 year**, average depressive symptoms, anxiety, and *problematic cannabis use* scores decreased significantly, but the changes were **small**.

Recreational cannabis access via pharmacies: A 1-year Swiss study on cannabis use and mental health.

Drug and alcohol dependence • September 5, 2026 • Highly Relevant

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AI Summary

This 1-year observational Swiss study examined whether pharmacy-based regulated access to cannabis was associated with changes in mental health and cannabis use. The participants were 374 regular cannabis users with access to pharmacist-dispensed products limited to a maximum of 20% THC and 10 g THC per month. Researchers compared depressive symptoms, anxiety, problematic cannabis use, and cannabis-use patterns from baseline to follow-up; there was no untreated comparison group.

Average depressive symptoms, anxiety, and problematic cannabis-use scores declined significantly, but the decreases were small. Cannabis-use frequency increased modestly, while the amount used did not change. The share of participants above the study’s clinical threshold for problematic use also did not change significantly, moving from 32.7% to 28.6%. The reduction in problematic-use scores was greater among participants who had higher-risk use at baseline, but most variation reflected stable differences between individuals rather than change over time.

Overall, the abstract reports no evidence that regulated pharmacy access was associated with worsening mental health or cannabis use during the year studied. However, because this was an uncontrolled observational study, it cannot establish that pharmacy access caused the improvements or rule out other explanations. This is an abstract-based summary and does not claim review of the full paper.

💡 Key Findings

Among 374 regular cannabis users followed for 1 year, average depressive symptoms, anxiety, and problematic cannabis use scores decreased significantly, but the changes were small.

Good

75%

Cannabis-use frequency increased modestly, while quantity used did not change.

Good

75%

The proportion above the clinical threshold for problematic use did not change significantly, despite shifting from 32.7% to 28.6%.

High

80%

The uncontrolled observational design means the study cannot establish that regulated pharmacy access caused the observed changes.

High

95%

📄 Original Abstract

BACKGROUND: While cannabis use has been linked to poorer mental health, the effects of regulated access remain unexplored. This study examined changes in psychopathology and cannabis-use patterns under pharmacy-based regulated access (pharmacist-dispensed, max 20% THC, ≤10g THC/month) in Switzerland over 1 year. METHODS: Linear mixed-effects models analyzed changes in depressive and anxiety symptoms, problematic cannabis use, and cannabis-use frequency and quantity among 374 regular cannabis users with pharmacy access (mean age 35.8; 81% male), from baseline to 1-year follow-up, with subgroups by baseline problematic use (CUDIT-R ≥ 13 vs < 13). RESULTS: Mean depressive symptoms (p < .0001), anxiety (p = .0008), and problematic cannabis use (CUDIT-R; p = .0002) decreased significantly but by small amounts (PHQ-9 5.37 to 4.53). The proportion exceeding clinical thresholds did not change significantly over time (CUD: 32.7% to 28.6%, p = .126). Cannabis-use frequency increased modestly (p = .0042) and quantity was unchanged. Time explained almost none of the variance (marginal R² < .01); most of the variance reflected stable between-person differences (conditional R² =.57-.70). A group-by-time interaction showed a larger CUDIT-R reduction in the high-risk group (p < .0001). Adjusting for medication left all effects unchanged. CONCLUSION: Over one year of pharmacy-based regulated access, psychopathological symptoms and problematic cannabis use showed small but significant mean decreases, while the proportion above clinical thresholds remained unchanged. Although the uncontrolled design precludes causal claims, these findings suggest that regulated access was not associated with deterioration in mental health or cannabis use.

Paper Type

📄 Research

Publication

Journal: Drug and alcohol dependence
Published: September 5, 2026
PMID: 42715655
DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2026.113337

Authors (10)

Eva-Maria Pichler Clinic of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric Services Aargau, Windisch, Switzerland; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria. Electronic address: Eva-maria.pichler@pdag.ch.
Christoph Felix Mosandl Department of Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Psychiatric Clinics Basel, Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address: christophfelix.mosandl@upk.ch.
Jens Kronschnabel Clinic of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric Services Aargau, Windisch, Switzerland. Electronic address: jens.kronschnabel@pdag.ch.
Maximilian Meyer Department of Addictive Disorders, University Psychiatric Clinics Basel, Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address: maximilian.meyer@upk.ch.
Adrian Guessoum Department of Addictive Disorders, University Psychiatric Clinics Basel, Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address: adrian.guessoum@upk.ch.
+5 more authors