Excerpts:
“The U.S.’s largest organization of psychology professionals is urging the federal government to stop making it so hard for researchers to study cannabis.
‘Major barriers to research are preventing scientists from pursuing the full range of research that is needed to understand the impacts of recreational and therapeutic use of cannabinoids,’ the American Psychological Association (APA) said in a recent advocacy briefing.
APA, which represents more than 115,000 scientists, clinicians and educators, pointed out that the process to register to study cannabis ‘can take more than a year to complete and creates administrative burdens that serve as significant disincentives to pursuing research’ and that DEA oversight ‘involves redundant scientific protocol review.’
…Researchers have long complained that marijuana’s [Schedule I] classification there creates additional hurdles that don’t exist for studies on other substances.
The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee called on federal agencies last month to prepare a report on the ways Schedule I limits cannabis research.
Also last month, California lawmakers passed a joint resolution calling for federal marijuana rescheduling.
The APA pointed out that DEA’s role in the research process creates unnecessary confusion.
‘Investigators often report that the guidance they receive is unclear and that DEA inspections, security requirements and variable experiences with state DEA field offices add to the obstacles they face,’ the organization said.”
TRUCE take: With opponents resting their hats on the argument, that they’re willing to consider medical cannabis “once the ‘science’ (i.e., FDA-approved research) is in,” it’s long past time for the DEA and FDA to end the federal research embargo.
#MMJ #Research #APA #FDA #DEA #UTpol #UtahNext #TRUCE
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See full article – Psychologists Group Slams Barriers To Marijuana Research | Marijuana Moment
