The Research Ethics Board (REB) should not require the researcher to change the protocol solely based on the concern that excluding students who have never used cannabis might reduce the likelihood of publishing in a prestigious journal. This decision is a methodological one tied to the research question and objectives, and the REB's mandate is to ensure ethical conduct and participant protection, not to influence scientific methodology or publication prospects
. The exclusion of non-users does not inherently raise ethical issues if the study design is scientifically justified and respects participant rights. The REB may require changes if the methodology compromises the study's ability to answer the research question or if it poses ethical concerns, but publication likelihood is not a valid reason for protocol modification
. Therefore, the REB's focus should be on whether the study design is ethically sound and scientifically appropriate, rather than on the potential impact on publication. Suggestions to consider the implications of the exclusion on generalizability and transparency may be appropriate but should not mandate protocol changes based on publication concerns alone
