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NCIA Releases Overview of Cannabis Medical Knowledge

Summary intended to educate and guide policymakers and medical professionals

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) has released an overview designed to help inform and guide policymakers and medical professionals on the science, history, and uses of medical cannabis and promote policies that facilitate further research and fair, legal access. This publication was developed by scientists and doctors working with NCIA’s Policy Council.

The objective of this report is to provide medical professionals and policymakers with an up-to-date, science-based perspective on the medicine of cannabis in the United States. It includes input from medical doctors, researchers, veterinarians, and policy experts, all committed to the development of a cannabis industry founded on scientific research, patient safety, and equitable access to safe products and clinical oversight. It includes a history of medical cannabis, an overview of the endocannabinoid system and the complex nature of the cannabis plant, and explores clinical uses as well as safety considerations. The paper also highlights the obstacles that currently hinder research, and includes policy recommendations to remove those barriers and promote evidenced-based therapeutic cannabis access and use.

The full paper is available here.

“Despite the well-established medical efficacy of cannabis and the overwhelming public support for regulating the substance, many politicians and doctors still lack a basic understanding of the science of cannabis and continue to oppose sensible reforms,” said Aaron Smith, co-founder and chief executive officer of the National Cannabis Industry Association. “We hope to provide a fundamental and balanced overview of the medical impacts and therapeutic uses of cannabis to the people who so often hold the keys to safe and legal access.”

NCIA intends to disseminate this overview to members of Congress and the Biden administration, as well as key federal agencies and medical organizations.

A recent Pew Research poll showed that 91% of U.S. adults think cannabis should be legal for medical purposes. A Gallup poll from late last year showed a record 68% national support for making cannabis legal for adults.

Cannabis is legal for adults in 17 states as well as the District of Columbia and the territories of CNMI and Guam, and 36 states as well as several territories have comprehensive medical cannabis laws. The substance is legal in some form in 47 states. Dozens of states are considering cannabis policy reform legislation this year.

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Marijuana Research Bill Approved in House Judiciary Committee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 13, 2018

CONTACT:
Michael Correia, National Cannabis Industry Association
202-599-9742, Media@TheCannabisIndustry.org

 

Marijuana Research Bill Approved in House Judiciary Committee

Markup of the Republican-backed bill represents first time the committee has considered marijuana policy reform legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee approved legislation designed to facilitate increased federally-approved research into the potential medical benefits of marijuana. The Medical Cannabis Research Act of 2018 (H.R. 5634), which was originally introduced by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and currently has 40 cosponsors, passed in a voice vote.

The bill would increase the number of federally-approved research cannabis manufacturers from one to three. It would also create a pathway for state-approved private cannabis cultivators to provide material to researchers, and requires the Attorney General to annually assess whether the approved supply is adequate to meet research requests. In addition, the legislation clarifies that medical professionals in the Dept. of Veterans Affairs are able to inform their patients about cannabis trials, receive information about ongoing research, and may take part in such research.

This vote represents the first time that the House Judiciary Committee has been willing to consider marijuana policy reform legislation.

“The experiences of the states with medical cannabis laws and the millions of patients helped by those programs have proven that cannabis is an effective medicine, but federal research has always lagged behind. This markup represents a big step toward increasing our base of knowledge about cannabis, but more importantly, it shows that Congress is willing to look at the issue fairly and scientifically,” said Aaron Smith, executive director of the National Cannabis Industry Association. “We commend Rep. Gaetz for introducing this bill and for working so hard to make sure it was seriously considered by the Judiciary Committee.”

Despite the overall benefits provided by the bill, advocates are concerned about several compromise provisions that were added to the original language. A ban on people with marijuana convictions being involved in studies would prevent many of the most skilled and knowledgeable individuals from adding their expertise to research efforts and would disproportionately impact people of color. Legitimate study would be further impeded by requiring production facilities to be pre-approved by law enforcement, who have traditionally opposed efforts to increase research into cannabis.

“The restrictions contained in the Medical Cannabis Research Act are well-meaning but totally unnecessary and do nothing to improve public safety or research efficacy,” Smith continued. “We are hopeful that reasonable debate and Rep. Gaetz’s leadership on this issue will convince lawmakers to remove them before passing this bill.”

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The National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) is the largest cannabis trade association in the U.S. and the only organization broadly representing cannabis-related businesses at the national level. NCIA promotes the growth of a responsible and legitimate cannabis industry and works toward a favorable social, economic, and legal environment for that industry in the United States.

 

 

Senate Committee Approves Medical Cannabis Protections in Appropriations Spending Bill

Senate Committee Approves Medical Cannabis Protections in Appropriations Spending Bill

 

Historic move is first time provision to protect state medical cannabis programs from federal interference has been included in original Senate legislation; language was amended to previous spending bills since 2014

 

Washington, D.C. –  The Senate Appropriations Committee approved legislation that would renew protections for state medical cannabis programs when the current spending budget expires in September. The language, which was introduced by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), prevents the Department of Justice from using any resources to target medical cannabis patients or providers who are in compliance with state laws.

This is the first time that this provision has been included in the original language of the spending bill by either chamber of Congress. Originally added to the federal budget in 2014, this restriction was consistently renewed as an amendment by the Senate or House Appropriations Committees or a continuing resolution in subsequent budgets, most recently in March. Current protections are set to expire on September 30 unless the new spending bill is approved or the current budget is extended.

“Once again, members of Congress have signaled that protecting state-legal medical cannabis is no longer a controversial issue,” said Aaron Smith, executive director of the National Cannabis Industry Association. “From protecting state medical cannabis programs from being targeted by federal law enforcement to growing support for allowing banks to work with the cannabis industry, lawmakers are increasingly unwilling to waste taxpayer money interfering with legal and responsible cannabis businesses.”

Last month, similar medical cannabis protections were amended to the House Appropriations spending bill in a committee vote.

Cannabis is legal in some form for medical purposes in 46 states. A Quinnipiac University poll released in April showed that 93% of voters support legal access to medical cannabis and 70% oppose enforcing federal marijuana laws in states that have approved cannabis for medical or adult use.

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