Obama Administration Set to Remove Barrier to Marijuana Research
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The Obama administration is planning to remove a major roadblock to marijuana research, officials said Wednesday, potentially spurring broad scientific study of a drug that is being used to treat dozens of diseases in states across the nation despite little rigorous evidence of its effectiveness.
The new policy is expected to sharply increase the supply of marijuana available to researchers.
And in taking this step, the Obama administration is further relaxing the nation’s stance on marijuana. President Obama has said he views it as no more dangerous than alcohol, and the Justice Department has not stood in the way of states that have legalized the drug.
For years, the University of Mississippi has been the only institution authorized to grow the drug for use in medical studies. This restriction has so limited the supply of marijuana federally approved for research purposes that scientists said it could often take years to obtain it and in some cases it was impossible to get. But soon the Drug Enforcement Administration will allow other universities to apply to grow marijuana, three government officials said.
While 25 states have approved the medical use of marijuana for a growing list of conditions, including Parkinson’s, Crohn’s disease, Tourette’s syndrome, Alzheimer’s, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, the research to back up many of those treatments is thin. The new policy could begin to change that.
“It will create a supply of research-grade marijuana that is diverse, but more importantly, it will be competitive and you will have growers motivated to meet the demand of researchers,” said John Hudak, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.
The new policy will be published as soon as Thursday in the federal register, according to the three officials, who have seen the policy but spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it.
Drug policy advocates, experts and researchers predicted that increasing the number of institutions growing marijuana will have a significant practical effect. The University of Mississippi’s monopoly on that role has been a barrier.
“It’s clear that this was a significant hurdle in limiting the quantity of clinical research taking place in the U.S.,” said Paul Armentano, the deputy director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.
Researchers often had difficulty getting some kinds of marijuana, including ones with large amounts of THC, the main ingredient in the drug that gets people high. Under the University of Mississippi monopoly, Mr. Hudak of Brookings said: “If you were a researcher who thought a product with high THC would help someone with a painful cancer, you were out of luck. You couldn’t access high THC marijuana in the same way you could buy it in a market in Colorado,” where it is legal.
“They’re looking at the science, taking a nuanced view,” said Kevin A. Sabet, a former Obama administration drug-policy adviser and president of the group Smart Approaches to Marijuana. “It’s a good day for science.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/11/science/obama-administration-set-to-remove-barrier-to-marijuana-research.html?_r=0
The new policy is expected to sharply increase the supply of marijuana available to researchers.
And in taking this step, the Obama administration is further relaxing the nation’s stance on marijuana. President Obama has said he views it as no more dangerous than alcohol, and the Justice Department has not stood in the way of states that have legalized the drug.
For years, the University of Mississippi has been the only institution authorized to grow the drug for use in medical studies. This restriction has so limited the supply of marijuana federally approved for research purposes that scientists said it could often take years to obtain it and in some cases it was impossible to get. But soon the Drug Enforcement Administration will allow other universities to apply to grow marijuana, three government officials said.
While 25 states have approved the medical use of marijuana for a growing list of conditions, including Parkinson’s, Crohn’s disease, Tourette’s syndrome, Alzheimer’s, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, the research to back up many of those treatments is thin. The new policy could begin to change that.
“It will create a supply of research-grade marijuana that is diverse, but more importantly, it will be competitive and you will have growers motivated to meet the demand of researchers,” said John Hudak, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.
The new policy will be published as soon as Thursday in the federal register, according to the three officials, who have seen the policy but spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it.
Drug policy advocates, experts and researchers predicted that increasing the number of institutions growing marijuana will have a significant practical effect. The University of Mississippi’s monopoly on that role has been a barrier.
“It’s clear that this was a significant hurdle in limiting the quantity of clinical research taking place in the U.S.,” said Paul Armentano, the deputy director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.
Researchers often had difficulty getting some kinds of marijuana, including ones with large amounts of THC, the main ingredient in the drug that gets people high. Under the University of Mississippi monopoly, Mr. Hudak of Brookings said: “If you were a researcher who thought a product with high THC would help someone with a painful cancer, you were out of luck. You couldn’t access high THC marijuana in the same way you could buy it in a market in Colorado,” where it is legal.
“They’re looking at the science, taking a nuanced view,” said Kevin A. Sabet, a former Obama administration drug-policy adviser and president of the group Smart Approaches to Marijuana. “It’s a good day for science.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/11/science/obama-administration-set-to-remove-barrier-to-marijuana-research.html?_r=0
Comments
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? the DEA for their ? ruling the other day on keeping marijuana schedule one. I understand trying to maintain your job and stifling competition for big pharma, but you gotta be an oblivious muhfuckas not to have seen videos of the many people seizing violently who are relieved quickly because of MJ among other things. The whole ? is ? up.
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? the DEA for their ? ruling the other day on keeping marijuana schedule one. I understand trying to maintain your job and stifling competition for big pharma, but you gotta be an oblivious muhfuckas not to have seen videos of the many people seizing violently who are relieved quickly because of MJ among other things. The whole ? is ? up.
I was of that thought when I heard they weren't taking the steps to downgrade marijuanas classification. Now, with this information, it seems Obama is allowing it to be based in research that marijuana is not harmful.
By opening up different universities to able to study and research the effects of marijuana, there will now be evidence that it isn't as harmful as others make it out to be. The fact that marijuana research was monopolized by racist ass, staunchly republican Mississippi has probably skewed it's findings to serve their political views. This is a win and very strategic by the Obama administration. -
manofmorehouse wrote: »? the DEA for their ? ruling the other day on keeping marijuana schedule one. I understand trying to maintain your job and stifling competition for big pharma, but you gotta be an oblivious muhfuckas not to have seen videos of the many people seizing violently who are relieved quickly because of MJ among other things. The whole ? is ? up.
I was of that thought when I heard they weren't taking the steps to downgrade marijuanas classification. Now, with this information, it seems Obama is allowing it to be based in research that marijuana is not harmful.
By opening up different universities to able to study and research the effects of marijuana, there will now be evidence that it isn't as harmful as others make it out to be. The fact that marijuana research was monopolized by racist ass, staunchly republican Mississippi has probably skewed it's findings to serve their political views. This is a win and very strategic by the Obama administration.
I agree he was being mindful of the political environment. It's been made very clear he's mostly concerned with cementing legacy as of late -
Commander-In-Chief
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Um, im sorry, ? obama. LOL
My G, youre the president. That doesnt mean you can do what you want when you want to, but youve spent 8 years now acting like you live on the moon, not on earth, and in America as the president. Executive orders anyone, or simply just applying pressure for these policy changes, and or changes in law surrounding marijuana.
The attorney general has the power to also override the scheduling of drugs, not just the head of the ? DEA. You just didnt want to do it you stupid ? .
Him and Hilary with this we need more research excuse to keep weed schedule 1. Meanwhile there is countless anecdotal evidence of it helping cancer patients, epileptics, people suffering from depression, people recovering from radiation treatment, ect... All them ? opiates are schedule 2 drugs, and morphine is even a schedule 3, but WEED IS SCHEDULE 1 NEXT TO BATH SALTS.
BATH SALTS!!!!!!?????
Black president of the united states of america is sitting up here playing dumb on a drug made illegal by white racist who hated mexicans and blacks. Are you serious right now my dude!?
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Um, im sorry, ? obama. LOL
My G, youre the president. That doesnt mean you can do what you want when you want to, but youve spent 8 years now acting like you live on the moon, not on earth, and in America as the president. Executive orders anyone, or simply just applying pressure for these policy changes, and or changes in law surrounding marijuana.
The attorney general has the power to also override the scheduling of drugs, not just the head of the ? DEA. You just didnt want to do it you stupid ? .
Him and Hilary with this we need more research excuse to keep weed schedule 1. Meanwhile there is countless anecdotal evidence of it helping cancer patients, epileptics, people suffering from depression, people recovering from radiation treatment, ect... All them ? opiates are schedule 2 drugs, and morphine is even a schedule 3, but WEED IS SCHEDULE 1 NEXT TO BATH SALTS.
BATH SALTS!!!!!!?????
Black president of the united states of america is sitting up here playing dumb on a drug made illegal by white racist who hated mexicans and blacks. Are you serious right now my dude!?
Sounds like u need to take this to the steps of the white house. Seriously doubt hes gonna see this post. -
I thought the DEA shot this down last week?
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Piffbama strikes again.
