Cannabis for Health: Johns Hopkins Seeks Participants for National Cannabis Study

Landmark Study to Use DRUID to Help Understand Cannabis Effects

CAMBRIDGE, MA, UNITED STATES, October 30, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As the use of medicinal cannabis continues its rapid growth—ranging from edibles to high-potency concentrates—there is an urgent need to understand its effects on consumers. Recognizing this, the Johns Hopkins Cannabis Science Laboratory recently launched its National Cannabis Study (NCS), a five-year, large-scale initiative designed to generate a new, comprehensive collection of scientific data.

“Targeting newly initiated medical cannabis users, the study will help determine whether cannabis use is helpful, harmful, or neutral for most health conditions,” stated Ryan Vandrey, PhD, Principal Investigator and Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University Medical School. “The goal is to guide patients and providers in choosing the safest and most effective products and doses.”

The National Cannabis Study will gather, firsthand, experiences with medicinal cannabis from individuals managing various health conditions. These personal accounts have the potential to inform both medical decisions and industry practices. “We’re collecting data on a wide variety of cannabis products from a large number of individuals who intend to use them to address specific health problems,” Vandrey added.

How It Works
The purpose of the NCS is to gather new information about the health outcomes of medicinal cannabis use. Once enrolled, participants complete four web-based surveys over the course of a year: one baseline survey before using cannabis and three follow-up surveys after beginning use. In addition to self-reported questionnaires, participants take the DRUID test, which provides objective data on cognitive and psychomotor performance, on their mobile device before and after cannabis use.

“DRUID is an important arrow in our quiver,” continued Vandrey. “We’ve shown in a number of studies at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine that the DRUID app can detect impairment from acute exposure to high dose THC cannabis, but there is limited data on how therapeutic use of different types of cannabis products impacts functioning, so this is a critical outcome to measure and can help steer clinical decision-making and product selection.”

Recruiting Participants
The National Cannabis Study aims to follow 10,000 people as they begin using cannabis for therapeutic purposes. “They aren’t just new to cannabis,” Vandrey explained. “They are individuals who intend to start use of cannabis to help address a health problem, often because other treatments failed to work or caused severe side effects.”

In addition to contributing to a study that may shape best practices in healthcare and medicinal cannabis, participants will receive a $25 gift certificate for each survey they complete. Their responses will be analyzed by researchers across multiple disciplines interested in understanding how cannabis affects health. The JHU Cannabis Science Lab welcomes support from institutions and individuals in helping recruit participants. Interested participants can learn more and enroll at the National Cannabis Study website: cannabisandhealth.org/ncs

About the National Cannabis Study (NCS)
The NCS is part of the Cannabis and Health Research Initiative, a collaboration between Johns Hopkins University and Realm of Caring, two organizations with extensive experience in medicinal cannabis research. Together, they are building a registry of medicinal cannabis use and outcomes to inform future research, policy, and best practices.

About the DRUID App
DRUID is a neuroscience-based cognitive assessment app developed by Impairment Science, Inc. to promote workplace safety and productivity, to monitor chronic medical conditions, and to advance optimal athletic performance. Learn more at: www.impairmentscience.com.

Contact Information:
Impairment Science, Inc.
Chris Bensley
(617) 612-5800
chris@impairmentscience.com

Chris B Bensley
Impairment Science Inc
+1 617-612-5800
email us here

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