In a study released last week by the Feline Institute in Denmark, scientists said that exposure to marijuana can help domesticated cats live up to ten years longer than the worldwide average for most felines.
According to Dr. Erick Johnston, Vice President of the institute and the director of the report, at least 500 pet owners volunteered their cats over the two year study. "The report is a culmination of many years of work," said Johnston. "This is a victory for advocates of feline studies and of the legalization of marijuana. It is another step in proving that marijuana can be used as a medical tool, and not just as a recreational drug."
The project was funded by ThinkAhead, a non-profit advocate for marijuana legalization, and also by various donors including cat food giant, Fancy Feast. The study took place from May 27th, 2007 through June 6th 2009, with many of the tests administered at the Feline Institute, which is located in Edam, a small town outside Amsterdam. Most of the cat owners who participated were residents of Edam, or lived in or around the city.
"When I first heard about the study, I thought it was a joke," said Margaret Burroughs, a resident of Edam. "But I have had my cat for over 15 years, and she has been exposed to marijuana for most of it, yet she remains completely healthy, so I thought I could help the institute."
Dr. Johnston and his team used statistics the Institute has gathered over many years, as well as information provided by each cat owner to determine how the marijuana affected the cats' health and lifespan. The felines involved in the study were of various age and size. The cats ranged from small kittens, to overweight cats, to older domesticated cats and everything in between.
"We wanted to get a full grasp on how the drug can affect felines, so we brought in cats that varied in weight, age and breed," said Dr. Madeylon Verhoeven, Assistant Director of the study. "We had newborn cats, fat cats, elderly cats. We thought it would be the best way to get an accurate picture of how felines are affected by the drug."
Dr. Johnston hopes to present the facts of the study to other advocate groups and other agencies, to help show that marijuana is a beneficial drug.
"The hope of the study was to help feline's first, but we also see this as an opportunity to show that marijuana has positive effects," said Johnston. "It is a step in the right direction, and we hope that we will make a difference in the larger scheme of things."
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