DEA finally ends research monopoly fueled by low-quality cannabis
While a single accredited US university has held a monopoly on the supply of low-quality cannabis for decades, the DEA is announcing that it will finally open up licensing access to a number of new, modern grow facilities.
DEA continues to prioritize efforts to expand access to research marijuana in the United States
According to a press release, the DEA announced that it would soon issue licenses and send “a memorandum of understanding” (MOA) to “a number” of businesses that have requested it.
NIDA monopoly since 1968
Since 1968, only the University of Mississippi has been authorized to supply cannabis to American researchers who wish to study its value for the treatment of diseases such as post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic pain.
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In recent years, advocates, industry insiders and academics have pressured the DEA to expand the number of licensed cannabis producers for scientific research, citing poor quality supply from the University of Mississippi has hampered recent studies.
The recent DEA decision to pave the way for licensed potency herb production is seen as an important development in properly exploring the herb’s therapeutic value. It is also the first major cannabis-related action taken by the Biden administration.
While the DEA began accepting applications for additional manufacturers in 2016 under President Barack Obama, no approvals were made under the Trump administration.
But on Friday, the agency told organizations, including the Biopharmaceutical Research Company, Scottsdale Research Institute (SRI) and Groff NA Hemplex, that their applications were granted with conditions.
“Pending final approval, the DEA has determined, based on currently available information, that a number of manufacturers’ requests to grow marijuana for research purposes in the United States appear to be in line with applicable legal standards and relevant laws, ”the agency wrote in a statement.
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Smoke 25% THC and study only 8% …
The poor quality and low potency of government-grown cannabis is an ongoing problem for American cannabis researchers. Scientists say the government’s only cannabis farm has moldy samples and no federal testing standards
The insufficiency of NIDA cannabis has led to academic disputes, lawsuits and national headlines, as well as well-founded accusations that the DEA was dragging its feet on the issue. In 2017, Rick Doblin, Founder and Executive Director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) a declared that NIDA was “completely inadequate as a source of marijuana for drug development research.”
For years, NIDA and the DEA have promised to open up the federally approved research cannabis supply. But nothing happened.
