Senate Bill Would Relax Restrictions Hampering Medical Marijuana Research

WASHINGTON, D.C. June 20, 2016 Bipartisan legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate today would help to lift restrictions on legitimate medical research into the potential benefits and harms of marijuana and its constituent products.

A statement from American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) President Chris Hansen on the legislation follows:

The Marijuana Effective Drug Studies Act of 2016 cosponsored by Sens. Brian Schatz (D-HI), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Chris Coons (D-DE) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) would after years of unnecessary delays and restrictions enable researchers to evaluate the potential health effects of marijuana and its constituent products.

There is a critical need for scientific research on cannabinoids for cancer patients, and on better and more effective therapies that can overcome the often debilitating side effects of cancer and its treatment.

For too many years researchers have been hampered by more stringent reviews on marijuana studies than those research projects that focused on other Schedule 1 controlled substances. Researchers who successfully navigated multi-agency reviews by the Drug Enforcement Agency and National Institute on Drug Abuse often received inferior or insufficient amounts of marijuana than is publicly available today from state-regulated dispensaries in many of the 24 states where medical marijuana laws have permitted distribution.

The Marijuana Effective Drug Studies Act of 2015 would create a more efficient review process for approving marijuana studies, a more readily available supply of research-grade marijuana, and a regulatory process permitting the manufacture and distribution of FDA-approved drugs synthesized from marijuana.

On behalf of families affected by cancer, ACS CAN urges lawmakers to support this legislation that will help to better understand the health implications of medical marijuana and its constituent products as they pertain to cancer treatment and survivorship.

ACS CAN opposes the smoking or vaping of marijuana and other cannabinoids in public places because the carcinogens in marijuana smoke pose numerous health hazards to the patient and others in the patient's presence and has not taken a position on legalization of marijuana for medical purposes pending additional scientific research into the potential harms and benefits.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Alissa Crispino or Jill Courtney

American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

Phone: (202) 661-5772 or (202) 585-3278

Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

#research #medicalmarijuana #acscan #cancer