Wednesday, 20 July 2016

Lawmakers want to reclassify cannabis for research purposes

Loren Bonner,

Meanwhile, DEA still mum on a rescheduling decision
 
Federal law restricts access to cannabis for research purposes but some lawmakers are trying to change that.

Earlier this year, DEA said it was considering rescheduling cannabis from a Schedule I drug and had hoped to have a decision in the first half of 2016. Going into the second half of 2016 with no news from DEA, it is still uncertain if and when a decision might be made.

Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) introduced the Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act that would classify cannabidiol—a non-psychoactive cannabinoid—as a Schedule II drug when used for research purposes. Cannabis—along with cannabidiol—is a Schedule I drug under current federal law.

“This narrowly focused bill takes a responsible approach by cutting the red tape associated with marijuana research. It paves the way for new research to be conducted to determine if cannabidiol can be an effective medication for serious illnesses, such as intractable epilepsy. Our bill also maintains safeguards to protect against illegal diversion,” said Feinstein in a statement.

Cannabis has been known to relieve certain clinical conditions like epilepsy as well as glaucoma, nausea, AIDS-associated anorexia and wasting syndrome, chronic pain, inflammation, and multiple sclerosis.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a federal government research institute, supports cannabis production for research. According to a spokesperson for NIDA, they are interested in gathering information on the specific varieties, strains, or constituent chemotypes of cannabis, as well as products and preparations that would be of research interest.

Currently, the University of Mississippi houses the only federally-funded cannabis program in the country to supply forms of cannabis for research.

Although they have not conducted studies to address dosing and disease state directly, Mahmoud ElSohly, PhD, research professor at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy and director of the University of Mississippi Marijuana Project, told Pharmacy Today last year that not having guidance on dose, frequency, or duration of treatment is the problem with the use of the term “medical marijuana” or “medical cannabis.”

The Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act would allow accredited research institutions and pharmaceutical companies located in states where medical cannabis is legal to conduct research.

Efforts would be overseen by FDA.

Twenty-three states plus the District of Columbia currently have laws that legalize and regulate cannabis for medicinal purposes.

No comments: