Federal Drug Agency needs Weed Hookup for research purposes

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) announced last Friday that it is looking for cannabis partners who can supply it with marijuana for research purposes. The organization faces ongoing criticism over the marijuana it uses for studies, which is more similar to hemp than the type of product used by the majority of the population.

NIDA shared a notice listing what they were looking for and clarifying that the marijuana must belong to facilities operating under Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) approval.

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Marijuana facilities would be required to “manufacture or procure cannabis, cannabis extract and other cannabis-derived materials for basic and clinical research, and perform quantitative and qualitative analysis, stability determinations and recommended storage conditions for these products for authorized research.”

The organization hopes to conduct research on all cannabis compounds, from THC and CBD to cannabinoids like CBN, CBC, CBG and more.

Marijuana remains difficult to analyze due to its status as a Schedule I drug. But now that the plant is being legalized across the country, it’s becoming increasingly important for authorities to develop a better understanding of cannabis and what it can do to the population in the long term.

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NIDA has historically taken a conservative view of drugs, including marijuana. This makes sense as their efforts are to control and educate drug abuse. Still, it’s time they expanded their understanding of the drug. Expanding their criteria and creating new partnerships with cannabis sources is just another step in painting a more accurate picture of the drug and its impact on the population.