Politics
Congressional Committee Wants Marijuana Studies To Include Strains With More Diverse ‘Variety, Quality And Potency’
A congressional committee has approved a spending bill with an attached report that says researchers should be studying a broader range of marijuana products that better represent “the variety, quality and potency of commonly available cannabis strains” that consumers are actually using.
The House Appropriations Committee report approved on Tuesday covering Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LaborH) also expresses concerns about the lack of technology to detect impaired driving from marijuana and increased reported cases of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS).
One section of the report addresses marijuana research issues, with members stating that they’re concerned that development of a drug-impairment standard for marijuana remains unlikely in the near-term” and encouraging the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to “continue supporting a full range of research on the health effects of marijuana and its components.”
The report also says the committee is “aware that the majority of Federal research has been limited to marijuana from a single source and encourages NIH to undertake research that strives to encompass the variety, quality, and potency of commonly available cannabis strains within the current constraints of law.”
While historically it has been true that the University of Mississippi has been the sole federally authorized domestic source of marijuana for research purposes, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in recent years has approved additional manufacturers. Still, researchers are unable to study the actual cannabis products that consumers obtain from state-licensed dispensaries in a growing number of markets across the country.
“Marijuana Research.—The Committee is concerned that development of a drug-impairment standard for marijuana remains unlikely in the near-term and encourages NIH to continue supporting a full range of research on the health effects of marijuana and its components, including research to understand how marijuana policies affect public health issues such as drug-impaired driving. The Committee is aware that the majority of Federal research has been limited to marijuana from a single source and encourages NIH to undertake research that strives to encompass the variety, quality, and potency of commonly available cannabis strains within the current constraints of law. Additionally, the Committee continues to support the development of an objective standard to measure marijuana impairment and a related objective field sobriety test to ensure highway safety.”
Another section of the report focuses on CHS, a disorder “associated with prolonged, high-potency cannabis use that leads to severe nausea and vomiting.”
“With the growth of high-THC vaping products and their increasing use among adolescents, the Committee believes further study is warranted,” it says, while directing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevent (CDC), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to “conduct a study on the prevalence of CHS among youth and assess any correlations between CHS incidence and youth use of THC vaping products.”
Under the provision, agencies would be tasked with delivering an interim report on the issue to the committee within 180 days of enactment and a final report within a year.
“Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome in Youth.—The Committee is increasingly concerned by the rise in reported cases of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS)—a condition associated with prolonged, high-potency cannabis use that leads to severe nausea and vomiting. With the growth of high-THC vaping products and their increasing use among adolescents, the Committee believes further study is warranted. The Committee directs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in coordination with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the National Institute on Drug Abuse, to conduct a study on the prevalence of CHS among youth and assess any correlations between CHS incidence and youth use of THC vaping products. The Committee requests an interim report within 180 days of enactment and a final report within one year.”
Meanwhile, the LaborH bill itself contains a provision that prohibits relevant agencies from advocating for the legalization of Schedule I drugs such as marijuana.
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The section does contain a carve-out stating that the policy “shall not apply when there is significant medical evidence of a therapeutic advantage to the use of such drug or other substance or that federally sponsored clinical trials are being conducted to determine therapeutic advantage.”
“SEC. 509. (a) None of the funds made available in this Act may be used for any activity that promotes the legalization of any drug or other substance included in schedule I of the schedules of controlled substances established under section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act except for normal and recognized executive-congressional communications.
(b) The limitation in subsection (a) shall not apply when there is significant medical evidence of a therapeutic advantage to the use of such drug or other substance or that federally sponsored clinical trials are being conducted to determine therapeutic advantage.”
The legislation also contains a provision limiting the use of federal funds for harm reduction efforts like syringe exchange programs and safe consumptions sites for illegal drugs.
“SEC. 525. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, no funds appropriated in this Act shall be used to purchase sterile needles or syringes for the hypodermic injection of any illegal drug: Provided, That such limitation does not apply to the use of funds for elements of a program other than making such purchases if the relevant State or local health department, in consultation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, determines that the State or local jurisdiction, as applicable, is experiencing, or is at risk for, a significant increase in hepatitis infections or an HIV outbreak due to injection drug use, and such program is operating in accordance with State and local law: Provided further, That none of the funds appropriated in this Act may be used for the operation of a supervised drug consumption facility that permits the consumption onsite of any substance listed in schedule I of section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812).”
Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA) sought to strike the last sentence of the provision so that funds could be used to support safe consumption sites for illegal drugs, but her amendment was defeated in a voice vote.
“We need to be using every possible tool in the toolbox to confront the epidemic” of overdoses, she said. “Overdose prevention centers are understandably misunderstood. They are facilities where trained personnel are available to intervene, to prevent and reverse an overdose. They often provide fentanyl test strips, naloxone and important connections to other essential services, including connections to treatment, to recovery, to employment, to housing.”
“People have nowhere else to go and would not otherwise seek treatment,” Dean said. “Most importantly, overdose prevention centers save lives… “Why not make sure that if somebody is going to use they have some company, they have some chance at being revived by Narcan, and also some chance for somebody to talk to them and say, ‘Are you ready for treatment?'”
The Appropriations Committee separately approved a spending bill covering Financial Service and General Government (FSGG) last week. The measure drew criticism from a Democratic congresswoman over the omission of provisions to protect banks that work with state-licensed marijuana and hemp businesses.
The legislation also includes a report directing federal agencies to assess the “adequacy” of state-level marijuana regulatory models, as well as longstanding provisions in the bill itself blocking Washington, D.C. from using its tax dollars to legalize cannabis sales.
Meanwhile, the House Oversight Committee, chaired by Rep. James Comer (R-KY), is set to take up a series of bills on Wednesday that address D.C. policies, including one measure that would repeal a local law expanding expungements for marijuana possession.
