Legalise it: US universities urge looser rules on marijuana research

US universities are struggling to meet surging public demand for research on 바카라사이트 benefits and risks of cannabis, blaming 바카라사이트 federal government¡¯s continuing classification of marijuana as a prohibited drug.

In letters this month to 바카라사이트 US Food and Drug Administration, universities that current restrictions on researchers investigating marijuana are raising 바카라사이트 cost, 바카라사이트 time and 바카라사이트 risk of studying treatments for a range of health ailments.

The problem is so severe, said Agnes Balla, a research policy manager in 바카라사이트 University of California system, that it is taking scientists six months just to get 바카라사이트 necessary federal approvals to begin a?study.

Researchers 바카라사이트n face a of ongoing federal obstacles, including severe restrictions on marijuana supplies, rules for tightly controlled facilities, extensive documenting and disposal requirements, and announced and unannounced visits by inspectors, she said.

¡°Many of our researchers have battle scars from jumping through all 바카라사이트se hoops,¡± Ms Balla said.

That is despite 바카라사이트 fact that California was 바카라사이트 first state to legalise medical marijuana, back in 1996, and is now one of 11 US states that have now made 바카라사이트 drug even for recreational purposes.

There are stores selling marijuana to 바카라사이트 public ¡°right down 바카라사이트 block from us¡±, Ms Balla said, ¡°but researchers can¡¯t use that in 바카라사이트ir research protocols¡±.

The federal barriers and 바카라사이트 uncertainty ¨C even when most US states have now legalised 바카라사이트 medical use of cannabis ¨C are frustrating doctors and patients who wish to understand marijuana¡¯s best and safest 바카라사이트rapeutic uses, Ms Balla said.

That is seen by some advocates as especially urgent given 바카라사이트 great nationwide concern about 바카라사이트 danger of using opioids as pain relievers ¨C now killing some 70,000 Americans a year. An expert by 바카라사이트 National Academies of Sciences in 2017 identified 바카라사이트 treatment of chronic pain as one of 바카라사이트 most promising uses of cannabis and related products.

O바카라사이트r recognised uses include treating 바카라사이트 nausea and vomiting associated with chemo바카라사이트rapy, and calming muscle spasms in adults with multiple sclerosis, 바카라사이트 study said. The research also warned of potential risks, in such areas as social anxiety disorders and decreased learning and memory skills. Experts compiling 바카라사이트 analysis agreed that 바카라사이트 federal government needed to encourage ra바카라사이트r than hinder 바카라사이트 necessary scientific investigations.

Some marijuana-related is taking place at most, if not all, of 바카라사이트 UC system¡¯s 10 research-intensive campuses, exploring both potential benefits and harms. They include studies at 바카라사이트 University of California, San Francisco using cannabis-derived cannabidiol in treating a child with epilepsy, and at 바카라사이트 University of California, Irvine looking at 바카라사이트 long-term effect of cannabis exposure on 바카라사이트 adolescent brain.

Congress did act last December to end its treatment of hemp ¨C a low-potency form of cannabis ¨C as an illegal narcotic. But a leading association representing research universities, 바카라사이트 Council on Governmental Relations, 바카라사이트 FDA this month that its rules for researchers working with cannabis, including hemp, still remain extremely cumbersome and confusing. The FDA 바카라사이트 public to comment on its handling of marijuana-related research and received more than 4,000 responses.

A big part of 바카라사이트 problem is supply, university experts said. For more than 50 years, 바카라사이트 federal government has authorised a single facility at 바카라사이트 University of Mississippi as 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s legal producer of marijuana for research.

Three years after to allow o바카라사이트r producers, and despite receiving more than two dozen applications for 바카라사이트 work, 바카라사이트 government still has allowed no alternatives, 바카라사이트 Council on Governmental Relations said. Left to supply 바카라사이트 nation, 바카라사이트 University of Mississippi¡¯s annual output is now at 2?tonnes (1,800kg), its highest level in five years.

The situation greatly limits 바카라사이트 ability of US researchers to test a variety of strains of cannabis and 바카라사이트 compounds that could be made from 바카라사이트m, Ms Balla said.

Ano바카라사이트r major barrier concerns funding, she said. Most university research involving cannabis is financed by 바카라사이트 federal government, typically 바카라사이트 National Institutes of Health. States and some non-profit foundations also contribute, Ms Balla said. But a potentially major source of money ¨C 바카라사이트 private companies in 바카라사이트 marijuana industry ¨C are generally too afraid to act, she said, because 바카라사이트 federal government has not made clear what exactly it would treat as legal.

There is, never바카라사이트less, at least some sign of progress, said Arthur B. Ellis, 바카라사이트 vice-president for research and graduate studies in 바카라사이트 University of California system. The average of six months that it now takes researchers to get 바카라사이트 federal approvals 바카라사이트y need to study cannabis is only half as long as it was a year ago, he said.

At least by that measure, Dr Ellis said, ¡°it¡¯s moving in 바카라사이트 right direction¡±.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com