A force transmission apparatus, in particular a rocker arm or a drag lever, for establishing an operative connection between a camshaft and a gas exchange valve, in particular an inlet valve, of an internal combustion engine, comprising: a main body with an, in particular cylindrical, receptacle which extends along a longitudinal axis; an, in particular hydraulic, actuating piston which is provided in the receptacle such that it can be moved to and fro between a first position and a second position along the longitudinal axis; a contact body for actuating the gas exchange valve, which contact body is operatively connected to the actuating piston in such a way that a movement of the actuating piston along the longitudinal axis leads to a movement of the contact body along the longitudinal axis in order to change a valve stroke of the gas exchange valve; a first, in particular hydraulic, locking piston which is provided in the receptacle such that it can be moved to and fro in a radial direction with regard to the longitudinal axis between a third position, in which the first locking piston locks the actuating piston in the first position, and a fourth position, in which the first locking piston releases a movement of the actuating piston between the first position and the second position, characterized by: a damping chamber which can be filled with a control fluid and, in the case of movement of the actuating piston from the first position to the second position, is emptied in order to damp the movement of the actuating piston, the first locking piston being provided in a control fluid space of the actuating piston such that it can be moved in the radial direction with regard to the longitudinal axis of the receptacle, and the damping chamber being connected fluidically to the control fluid space of the actuating piston via at least one channel. a main body with an, in particular cylindrical, receptacle which extends along a longitudinal axis; an, in particular hydraulic, actuating piston which is provided in the receptacle such that it can be moved to and fro between a first position and a second position along the longitudinal axis; a contact body for actuating the gas exchange valve, which contact body is operatively connected to the actuating piston in such a way that a movement of the actuating piston along the longitudinal axis leads to a movement of the contact body along the longitudinal axis in order to change a valve stroke of the gas exchange valve; a first, in particular hydraulic, locking piston which is provided in the receptacle such that it can be moved to and fro in a radial direction with regard to the longitudinal axis between a third position, in which the first locking piston locks the actuating piston in the first position, and a fourth position, in which the first locking piston releases a movement of the actuating piston between the first position and the second position, characterized by: a damping chamber which can be filled with a control fluid and, in the case of movement of the actuating piston from the first position to the second position, is emptied in order to damp the movement of the actuating piston, the first locking piston being provided in a control fluid space of the actuating piston such that it can be moved in the radial direction with regard to the longitudinal axis of the receptacle, and the damping chamber being connected fluidically to the control fluid space of the actuating piston via at least one channel.