Ethos Cannabis and Thomas Jefferson University Team Up For Research

Until now, cannabis research has largely been the province of specialists at universities. That’s a good thing because university research is beneficial not only to society—as discoveries are made about the properties of cannabis and its potential uses—but to the universities as well. When a university study is successful, that can mean funding for that university, and that helps the institution remain operational. And as we all know, universities are where we get more scientists, with more research ideas that open more doors for future cannabis potential.

That said, private research performed by companies has its benefits too. In general, private companies have more funds to devote to research. They are also usually more specialized, able to dedicate their entire staff and research budget to one issue, where universities are forced by their nature to diversify widely.

Now, the private company Ethos Cannabis has teamed up with Thomas Jefferson University in Pennsylvania, bringing the best of both worlds to their new cannabis study.

About Ethos Cannabis

Ethos Cannabis prides itself on being more than just a dispensary. Their mission is to improve their patients’ health—and not only that but to provide an understanding of how cannabis is helping. With locations in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, this growing company encourages people to come in and ask questions and not to feel intimidated by the process. They strive for an environment that is friendly rather than clinical, where patients can feel supported and can gain an understanding of the benefits of cannabis, whether they are using it medically or recreationally. Ethos Cannabis believes that everyone has a right to choose how they feel, and that cannabis can help.

With their new partnership, Ethos Cannabis has become the first-ever private company to receive a clinical research partnership license.

The Research Programs

Now that they have teamed up, Ethos Cannabis and Thomas Jefferson University have two research programs currently underway.

The first study is a focus group designed to explore individuals’ experiences with obtaining medical cannabis. Volunteers for the study will be asked to report on the process of obtaining a medical cannabis license, as well as what happened when they actually visited a dispensary. The information obtained from the study will be used to improve the education offered to patients about their medical cannabis options and to better prepare them for the process of obtaining medical cannabis.

The second study focuses on patients with serious illnesses who are experiencing symptoms that negatively impact their quality of life. The goal of the study is to discover whether cannabis is effective at managing specific symptoms—and if so, which symptoms, and what dosages are appropriate to experience the desired effects.

Participants in the study will be monitored over the course of a year, during which they will use cannabis to try to manage their symptoms. Every three months, participants will be asked to complete a survey regarding their experiences. The questionnaire will deal with their symptoms and how the use of medical cannabis has affected the way they feel.

The partnership between Ethos Cannabis and Thomas Jefferson University will hopefully be just the first of many strong team-ups between private companies and research universities. With two such strong and dedicated entities working together for a common goal, great strides are sure to be made. It is teamwork like this that will lead to the next phase in cannabis legalization and availability, and we have reason to hope that before long everyone who needs medical cannabis will be able to access it easily and that many more effective uses of medical cannabis will be discovered.