At the most recent forum sponsored by the Coalition for Cannabis Policy, Education, and Regulation (CPEAR), the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) spoke about cannabis research efforts. Research and director Nora Volkow, who runs America’s top drug science agency, said even she is wary of researching cannabis. 

Simply put, there are a lot of boundaries and restrictions when it comes to cannabis research. Cannabis remains a Schedule I drug by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). They consider cannabis one of the most dangerous drugs on the market and is illegal on all levels federally. This is despite 37 states offering medical cannabis and an additional 19 states legalizing recreational cannabis.

“One of the barriers that has actually been noted is that cannabis, marijuana, by being a Schedule I substance, requires certain procedures that actually can be very lengthy,” Volkow said. “In some instances, it detracts researchers who want to investigate it because it’s just much more cumbersome than doing studies with other substances.”

This doesn’t mean that research is unavailable. It just makes it nearly impossible to receive approval. Even those who do receive approval for research can still experience consequences from other organizations. 

Additional Harmful Measures

Keeping cannabis on the Schedule I drug list isn’t only limiting research. It’s hurting the lives of the general public through its continued prohibition and criminalization. Because there are severe restrictions regarding usage and access, the black market has boomed. But there aren’t regulations in place, so products are much more dangerous. Recent overdose data shows individuals are increasingly becoming hospitalized due to fentanyl contamination. With legalization comes regulations, which guarantee the safety of consumers. 

“I think that the stigma it has around it, and continues to surround addiction and the use of drugs, has actually jeopardized our ability to intervene both on prevention and treatment,” Volkow said. “Our society overall has criminalized people that take drugs, and this has been shown repeatedly that it’s not only not beneficial, but it actually exacerbates the outcomes of individuals that are put in prison or in jail for the use of drugs.”

Racist undertones to these continued issues are blatantly obvious, Volkow said. Black men are four times as likely to become arrested for cannabis consumption and possession than white males. This stigma continues to criminalize the black community despite equal consumption between all races.

Hope

Not all hope is lost. Several officials from the White House have discussed removing cannabis from the Schedule I drug listing to make researching it easier. What researchers know about cannabis remains limited because of the restrictions. With pushes towards legalization both state wide and federally, it’s important to understand the positives and negatives of the plant. As more information and research becomes available, we will update you with the latest.

Make sure to check back for more cannabis, hemp, and psychedelic related news.