Federal Laws get in the Way of Cannabis Research

Even with legalization spreading, convictions being overturned, and limited research underway, scientists say cannabis is still a mystery in many ways. An article in the Santa Cruz Sentinel says this is because of federal laws inhibiting researchers from conducting meaningful studies.

There’s no doubt that marijuana offers health benefits, but the extent of medical benefits and risks are still not completely known. More research is needed, and as long as weed is classified as a Schedule 1 substance, it is officially deemed by the government to have “no currently accepted medical uses.” This makes it difficult for scientists to get a license from the Drug Enforcement Administration to perform cannabis research.

The article quotes Jahan Marcu, the co-founder of the International Research Center on Cannabis and Mental Health, as saying, “The federal system seems set up to have cannabis researchers fail.”

“It’s easier for me to get a license to make methamphetamine than to grow cannabis,” Marcu said.