The US Department of Health, which helps block cannabis research, wants to know why there is no cannabis research getting done

The US Food and Drug Administration wants to know what are the barriers to marijuana research

Last week, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a federal health agency in the United States, issued a request for information, reports Marijuana Moment.

Titled, “Investigators’ Interests in and Barriers to Research Studies on the Health Effects of Cannabis and Its Components,” the notice said the NIH acknowledges that eight of its agencies are working with the new effort to determine what exactly the Research in the field impedes current Schedule 1 status of marijuana. They also want information about the known limitations of the products that are available for use in clinical trials.

“Cannabis has been used medicinally for over 3,000 years,” the NIH explains. “Recently, there has been increased interest from healthcare providers and the general public in the potential medicinal properties of cannabis-related products,” it said.

Despite the fact that marijuana has been (and continues to be) legalized in most states and the Food and Drug Administration has already approved the distribution and use of cannabinoid-based medications for certain medical conditions, the government’s stance on marijuana remains the same; As the NIH says, there is “often insufficient scientific research to support the benefits of its intended use,” even in states where the plant is legal.

The NIH is the main federal health agency in the United States, reporting to 27 different institutes. The notice indicated that 8 are joining the effort, including others who want to step up studies on minor cannabinoids and even terpenes. This isn’t the first time the NIH has issued a notice of more research into cannabinoids, but researchers and scientists still face numerous hurdles.

Bureaucratic hurdles?

It’s no secret that researchers in the United States who want to study cannabis are frustrated. The cannabis industry in the country is booming to say the least and there are thousands of products to explore. However, marijuana’s federal status prevents them from doing so.

A majority of studies focusing on the therapeutic benefits of marijuana have done so using synthetic versions of cannabinoids, and there are only a handful of studies analyzing the benefits of whole-plant medicine for the management of chronic pain. Unfortunately, the lack of clinical studies analyzing cannabis actually purchased from pharmacies is astounding.

Sure, consumers can treat themselves and do their own research. There isn’t much of an impact here for recreational users. But the benefits of clinical trials would be enormous for medical patients: Clinical trials could save lives by discussing dosage, exact cannabinoid therapies, specific ailments, possible side effects, and more. Not all brands allow themselves to provide their customers with a Certificate of Analysis, and countless more take advantage of the fact that THC and CBD products are unregulated.

Without third-party lab testing, there’s no way for us consumers to really know what’s in every cannabis product we buy from a dispensary. Even when we’re buying flowers, it would be helpful to know the cannabinoid and terpene profile and if there are any potentially dangerous contaminants like pesticides, residual solvents, and metals. These are crucial for medical marijuana patients or those who already have an immune compromised system.

When scientists do clinical analysis of products, as they do with legal medicines, we can be confident that we are actually buying clean medicines.

“The NIH is attempting to better understand these issues and potentially develop strategies to overcome them,” the request for information reads. “To that end, the NIH solicits input from the research community on these and other obstacles, scientific interests, and needs associated with therapeutic cannabis or cannabinoid research,” it continues.

Poor quality cannabis is being researched

For several years, scientists and researchers have complained about the potency and quality of marijuana grown at the University of Mississippi. Thanks to their contract with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), it’s the only legal cannabis strain they can study.

The cannabis, sourced from the University of Mississippi, is heavily processed, has far less THC than what’s available in legal marijuana markets, and researchers have even encountered mold infestations. In addition, the weed is dried immediately after harvest and then stored in a freezer for months, sometimes even years. Anyone can tell you that freezing marijuana isn’t the best way to preserve its quality — and that’s what researchers are being forced to investigate.

The DEA has approved new manufacturers, but the NIH wants to hire a new contractor to supply marijuana for trials. Even then, researchers should be able to legally source cannabis sold in licensed dispensaries so that study results are more accurately represented.

Researchers interested in studying the plant have yet to get the green light from not one, but three federal agencies, and they need funding. Because of this, consumers and medical providers alike struggle to get an accurate picture of the benefits, as well as the potential risks, of the wide variety of marijuana products that are legally available.

Things seemed promising when President Joe Biden signed a bill into law last year that included provisions allowing researchers to study real marijuana available at state-legal dispensaries. Unfortunately, the bill focused too much on the legislation’s long-term plans, rather than giving scientists immediate access to the facility.

Action from above is urgently needed to make these necessary changes for the entire industry, consumers and medical providers.

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