420 with CNW — NIDA Director Wants Cannabis Products Federally Regulated
According to a senior federal health official, cannabis products must be controlled as states continue to legalize marijuana. Nora Volkow, director of NIDA, stated that while it would be ideal if states took their time enacting reform, the reality is that they are enacting reform and people need to know what they can do to lessen negative impacts. Volkow asserted that it is crucial to regulate the sale of products and inform the public about potential negative consequences.
The official’s remarks are noteworthy because, although she did not specifically demand federal reform, such a shift in policy would be required to impose controls on interstate marijuana sales on a national level.
Volkow also acknowledged new studies looking into a potential connection between marijuana usage and an increased risk of psychosis, noting that regrettably, cannabis may not be as innocuous as it appears. Although Volkow cautioned against the potential risk of heavy use of marijuana products with high potency, she stated in 2021 that she hasn’t yet seen proof that occasional marijuana usage by adults is detrimental.
When it comes to regulations, Congress has sponsored multiple legalization measures in recent sessions, but none of those bills have been passed. The end result has been a hodgepodge of state-level regulatory frameworks.
This month, Volkow stated before a senate committee that there is growing evidence that psychedelics have a major potential as treatments for some mental health issues and that this is a subject of tremendous interest for academics. In recent years, the director has also turned into a strong opponent of drug criminalization generally, pointing out racial inequalities in enforcement and the futility of addressing addiction as a criminal rather than a public health issue.
According to Volkow, the criminalization of drugs has led to a systemically racist society where Blacks are regarded differently from other groups. Additionally, she discussed the link between drug criminalization and racial prejudice in 2021, stating that the United States is now dealing with a long history of discriminatory and racist laws, many of which are still in place today.
In a blog post from last year, Volkow stated that there is a pressing need to rethink addiction therapy, particularly by allocating more funds to diagnosing pre-addiction to enable patients to receive care before the condition.
Given the concerns being expressed about the high potency of the marijuana that is currently available, companies seeking to avail standardized medicines from cannabis, such as IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC), deserve to be applauded because those formulations, once approved, can offer users a safe way to benefit from cannabis compounds without exposing themselves to any potential risks associated with consuming high-potency marijuana while addressing their medical needs.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/IGC
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW420, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer
According to a senior federal health official, cannabis products must be controlled as states continue to legalize marijuana. Nora Volkow, director of NIDA, stated that while it would be ideal if states took their time enacting reform, the reality is that they are enacting reform and people need to know what they can do to lessen negative impacts. Volkow asserted that it is crucial to regulate the sale of products and inform the public about potential negative consequences.
The official’s remarks are noteworthy because, although she did not specifically demand federal reform, such a shift in policy would be required to impose controls on interstate marijuana sales on a national level.
Volkow also acknowledged new studies looking into a potential connection between marijuana usage and an increased risk of psychosis, noting that regrettably, cannabis may not be as innocuous as it appears. Although Volkow cautioned against the potential risk of heavy use of marijuana products with high potency, she stated in 2021 that she hasn’t yet seen proof that occasional marijuana usage by adults is detrimental.
When it comes to regulations, Congress has sponsored multiple legalization measures in recent sessions, but none of those bills have been passed. The end result has been a hodgepodge of state-level regulatory frameworks.
This month, Volkow stated before a senate committee that there is growing evidence that psychedelics have a major potential as treatments for some mental health issues and that this is a subject of tremendous interest for academics. In recent years, the director has also turned into a strong opponent of drug criminalization generally, pointing out racial inequalities in enforcement and the futility of addressing addiction as a criminal rather than a public health issue.
According to Volkow, the criminalization of drugs has led to a systemically racist society where Blacks are regarded differently from other groups. Additionally, she discussed the link between drug criminalization and racial prejudice in 2021, stating that the United States is now dealing with a long history of discriminatory and racist laws, many of which are still in place today.
In a blog post from last year, Volkow stated that there is a pressing need to rethink addiction therapy, particularly by allocating more funds to diagnosing pre-addiction to enable patients to receive care before the condition.
Given the concerns being expressed about the high potency of the marijuana that is currently available, companies seeking to avail standardized medicines from cannabis, such as IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC), deserve to be applauded because those formulations, once approved, can offer users a safe way to benefit from cannabis compounds without exposing themselves to any potential risks associated with consuming high-potency marijuana while addressing their medical needs.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/IGC
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW420, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer
