DOPE SMOKERS WANTED FOR CANCER STUDY

Wellington Medical School needs cannabis smokers. The school's asthma
research centre is planning to study cancer risks and the respiratory
effects of smoking cannabis.

But their first challenge could be finding cannabis smokers, researcher
Alexandra Goldkorn said.

"It is going to be quite tricky because we are going to have to find
cannabis users who do not smoke tobacco, which is quite a rare breed," Dr
Goldkorn said.

With politicians now debating a law change on cannabis use, research into
the drug's effects was needed before decisions were made, she said.

"Very little has been done in New Zealand and internationally. There is a
gap in the market."

After talking to some cannabis users, she believed many might volunteer for
studies to try to vindicate cannabis use.

"There are quite a few people who are interested in disproving that there
are any health effects," she said.

For the respiratory study, volunteers would be subjected to objective tests
such as X-rays, scans and lung function tests.

In the cancer study, cancer patients treated at Wellington Hospital would
be asked about cannabis use.