“Joint Stories,” an intimate campaign that answers questions from cannabis users

Without demonizing or trivializing cannabis use, Santé publique France’s “Histoires de joints” campaign gives a voice to cannabis users through illustrated audio testimonials—or “voice notes”—lasting about two minutes, based on real-life stories collected via a survey on the social media platforms of three media outlets in the Unify group (Fraiche, Héro, and Minute Buzz).

From these real-life experiences, six themes were selected: sleep disorders, lung disorders, mental health disorders, bad trips, cognitive disorders (memory, attention, and concentration issues), and other disorders and risk factors (product composition, cardiovascular disorders, etc.).

To complement these stories, short one-minute videos provide educational content on the various topics covered. Laurent Karila (psychiatrist and addiction specialist at AP-HP) and Jean-Michel Delile (psychiatrist and president of the Fédération Addiction) thus address the questions and misconceptions raised in the testimonials:

• “Does smoking cannabis help you sleep better?”;

• “Is smoking a joint less dangerous than smoking a cigarette?”;

• “Can cannabis cause schizophrenia or bipolar disorder?”;

• “How does a ‘bad trip’ from cannabis start?”;

• “What are the effects of cannabis on the brain?”;

• “Is cannabis natural and therefore safe for your health?”

"Raising awareness about the harms associated with cannabis use is essential: the health risks of cannabis are real and proven, especially when use becomes heavy. Through this campaign, we aim to inform users without making them feel guilty or judging them, so they can make informed choices about their health and to facilitate dialogue between healthcare professionals and users. This is essential to reducing the number of users who develop problematic use." Viêt Nguyen Thanh, Head of the Addictions Unit at Santé publique France

Each video links to Drogues-info-service.fr for more information and to the Doctissimo YouTube channel, where they will be hosted.

The videos will be published by topic every four days on the social media channels of Fraiches, Hero, and Minute Buzz, as well as on Doctissimo, and more broadly across digital platforms.

• Dedicated playlist on the Doctissimo YouTube channel: #Histoiresdejoint - YouTube

• Dedicated playlist on the Drogues-info-service YouTube channel: Histoires de joint - YouTube

Content for healthcare professionals

In addition to the initiative for the general public, Santé publique France offers healthcare professionals useful content for their practice through a partnership with the Journal International de Médecine (JIM) and the magazine What’s Up Doc.

JIM.fr features a dedicated section on its homepage titled “Cannabis: Get Informed to Support Your Patients,” offering a variety of content:

• A glossary

• An “update” article adapted into a podcast on the health effects of cannabis,

• 2 practical guides on EBI (Early Identification and Brief Intervention) and existing resources for identifying and supporting problematic use,

• 3 interviews addressing issues related to cannabis use in general practice, in the workplace, and in academic settings,

• 2 interactive formats: a resource module to address common misconceptions about cannabis and a quiz to test knowledge about cannabis use.

Additionally, to reach the next generation of doctors, a 3-minute video featuring psychiatrist Jean-Michel Delile will be posted on the website whatsupdoc-lemag.fr: La Consult' spin-off by Jean-Michel Delile.

Drogues-Info-Service: informing, engaging, and offering personalized support

Drogues Info Service is an information, guidance, and support service accessible to everyone online at www.drogues-info-service.fr or by phone at 0 800 23 13 13, 7 days a week, from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. Calls are anonymous and free from both landlines and cell phones.

The Drogues-Info-Service.fr website:

• promotes access to information tailored to each individual, addressing both users and their support networks with dedicated sections;

• helps create an open dialogue by encouraging interaction and mutual support through interactive features (Q&A, Forums, Testimonials, etc.) and individual chats (real-time dialogue spaces between the user and a professional);

• facilitates navigation by offering a directory of over 3,000 organizations equipped with a simplified and more powerful search tool.