Elon Musk's DOGE cuts funding for cannabis studies

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, announced the cancellation of several grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including funding of nearly $700,000 for a study on cannabis use disorder (CUD) among LGBTQ+ individuals and heterosexual women.

The research, conducted by’Ohio State University (OSU), aimed to analyze the factors contributing to disparities in cannabis use in these populations. More specifically, the study aimed to identify the similarities and differences between the risk factors for cannabis use among the sexual minorities and visit heterosexual women.

«Women who identify as members of sexual minorities (lesbians, bisexuals, queers) and diverse sexual minorities (non-binary) and who were assigned female at birth are at high risk of cannabis-use disorder »compared to heterosexual women, and this disparity has widened in recent years," the study description states.

The researchers had already received $715,244 for this project, but the $699,139 Additional events were canceled.

The decision to eliminate the subsidy appears to be part of a broader trend under the Donald Trump administration to restrict research and spending related to the’gender identity. While some had hoped that Musk's leadership at DOGE would focus on cutting funding for agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – who played a central role in the the criminalization of cannabis in the United States– The latest decision suggests that gender-related research remains a key focus.

A recent leak revealed that the National Cancer Institute (NCI) requires staff and researchers to obtain authorization before writing about controversial topics, including cannabis, opioids, vaccines, and diversity issues. This directive is reportedly in line with the priorities of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and President Trump.

In light of these developments, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren called on Elon Musk to prioritize the elimination of federal measures deemed «unnecessary» against consumers and cannabis businesses, in order to reduce public spending. But far from easing regulations on the cannabis industry, Musk has openly supported a proposal to implement mandatory drug testing for federal employees, in addition to having funded opponents of cannabis legalization in Floridae.