Published on 18 July 2024

SCRIPT – Cities of Bern, Biel, Lucerne

The main aim of this pilot trial is to evaluate how cannabis use is affected by regulated not-for-profit sales of cannabis in pharmacies, together with advisory services. Any shift from smoking to other forms of cannabis use will be of particular interest.

One study group will be able to obtain cannabis products from the outset, while a second group will be able to do so after six months. The trial will then run for a further 18 months.

• Research questions

  The main aim of this pilot trial is to evaluate how cannabis use (frequency of use, preferred THC/CBD content) is affected by regulated not-for-profit sales of cannabis in pharmacies, together with advisory services. Of particular interest is whether participation in the trial leads to a shift away from smoking (both cannabis and tobacco) towards alternative forms of use. Also to be investigated is the impact of participation in the pilot trial on health and social factors.

• Legalization model

  Commercial market
  Pharmacy sales

• Responsible organisation(s)

  Institutions responsible for carrying out the study

  • University of Berne: 
    
  • Institute of Primary Health Care, Substance Consumption Unit (BIHAM)
  • Clinical Trial Unit (CTU)
  • Institut für Sozial- und Präventivmedizin (ISPM)
  • Universitäre Psychiatrische Dienste Bern (UPD)
     

  University of Lucerne:

  • Zentrum für Hausarztmedizin und Community Care

   

  Person for contact

  • Prof. Dr. med. Reto Auer
    University of Berne
    Head of Substance Consumption
    Mittelstrasse 43
    3012 Bern
    [e-mail]
    [phone]

• Canton(s)

  • Berne
  • Lucerne

• Commune(s)

  • Berne
  • Biel
  • Lucerne

• Planned duration of the study

  May 2024 to April 2026

• Points of sale

  Pharmacies

• Study type

  Randomised controlled trial (RCT)

• Sample size

  Planned total sample size: N = 1.091

• Funder

  • Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF)
    
  • Tobacco Control Fund (TCF)
  • the participating cities

• Links

  www.script-studie.ch