United States: cannabis research soon to be easier?

The potential uses of cannabis are numerous, yet little known. For example, while we've known since 1985 what are the the molecules responsible for cannabis' anti-inflammatory properties,The scientific community is only just beginning to carry out research into treatments, for example, endometriosis or cancer. It is with the aim of improving our understanding of this plant that Illinois Democratic Senator Dick Durbin has introduced a bill to remove all federal restrictions on researching cannabis.

The classification of cannabis in Annex I of the Controlled Substances Act, -considered the most dangerous- imposes restrictions on access to cannabis and its use in scientific research. Researchers must currently undergo a multi-step process for each new cannabis study, including approval of clinical trials by the Food and Drug Administration (DEA), acquisition of cannabis plants through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and numerous facility inspections by the DEA (which must give its specific approval to each researcher for each study), before finally being allowed to begin their research. Under Durbin's plan, research facilities would have to undergo only one DEA faculty and staff inspection, valid for five to ten years.

«With a form of legalization in effect in more than 30 states, and now in Illinois, I want to lift federal restrictions so we can conduct additional medical research on cannabis. We need a better understanding of the promising uses of cannabis for patient treatment, as well as the impact of cannabis use on public safety and specific populations - including children, pregnant women and drivers,» Durbin wrote in a press release. The Cannabis Research Extension Act would require the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration to develop research programs.

The Cannabis Research Extension Act is supported by the Illinois State Medical Society, the Epilepsy Foundation, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the Parkinson Foundation, the Michael J. Fox Foundation, the American Public Health Association and the Chicago Medical Society.