What the authors produced
Fischer and colleagues combined an evidence review with an expert consensus process to develop ten recommendations. Topics included avoiding early initiation, high-frequency use, high-THC products, synthetic cannabinoids, smoking-related exposures and impaired driving. Abstinence was identified as the way to avoid cannabis-related health risks. Original guidelines.
What the guidelines do not establish
These are population-level harm-reduction recommendations, not a trial proving that following a checklist makes cannabis safe. The authors called for evaluation of the guidelines’ population impact. Their evidence review excluded therapeutic-use studies; these recommendations should not be presented as a personalized prescription or a guarantee that a particular dose or waiting period removes risk.
Read the original research
Lower-Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines: A Comprehensive Update of Evidence and Recommendations.
American journal of public health
Citation
Benedikt Fischer; Cayley Russell; Pamela Sabioni; Wim van den Brink; Bernard Le Foll; Wayne Hall; Jürgen Rehm; Robin Room. (2017). Lower-Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines: A Comprehensive Update of Evidence and Recommendations.. American journal of public health. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2017.303818