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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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New Guides for Cannabis Testing Policy and Industry Crisis Communications Introduced at Cannabis Business Summit This Week

New Guides for Cannabis Testing Policy and Industry Crisis Communications Introduced at Cannabis Business Summit This Week

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA), in conjunction with its members and industry experts, is releasing publications this week offering recommendations for cannabis testing policy and providing guidance to cannabis businesses for dealing with crisis communications.

NCIA’s Policy Council released a white paper that details a set of 16 recommendations related to cannabis testing policy. These recommendations will be used to inform policy-makers at the state and federal levels. The Policy Council convened a group of testing experts and other individuals engaged in the cannabis industry in order to ensure the recommendations were informed by a broad range of experiences and opinions. The full document is available here.

“As both an NCIA Board member and a member of the Policy Council, I am really excited about the Council’s work,” said Kurshid Khoja, principal at Greenbridge Corporate Counsel. “Somewhat under the radar, the Policy Council is establishing itself as the think tank for the cannabis industry. On topics ranging from tax policy to pesticides to international competition, the Policy Council is churning out quality papers to raise awareness and educate policy makers in DC. With the release of its testing policy recommendations this week, the Policy Council is demonstrating that it could also help shape policy on the state level.”

NCIA’s Crisis Manual Subcommittee of the Marketing and Advertising Committee also released a manual describing best practices in crisis communications in the cannabis industry. This document will help businesses identify, avoid, prepare for, and respond to potential public and private communications issues within the cannabis industry, as well as those that typically impact any industry. The full manual is available here.

“As wonderful as cannabis is, we’ll face a crisis together as an industry way too soon.  When it happens, the key will be how we respond to it,” said Jeanine Moss, Crisis Manual Subcommittee Chair of NCIA’s Marketing & Advertising Committee. “That’s why we think it is so important for NCIA members to have an easy and practical guide that can not only help protect businesses during a crisis, but also the industry as a whole. This manual will help businesses prevent problems, keep issues from spiraling out of control, and share positive messages during times of stress.”

Both guides will be presented this week during the Cannabis Business Summit® & Expo, NCIA’s flagship annual event. This event is the nation’s largest cannabis industry conference and was recently awarded the top spot on Trade Show Executive’s annual “Fastest 50” list, honoring the 50 fastest-growing annual trade shows of the year.

Online registration for the Cannabis Business Summit® & Expo is available here. Registration closes at midnight, July 24.

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