Rather than focusing on our current level of knowledge obtained from CBD research, this panel will discuss the difficulties in conducting satisfactory cannabinoid research and how best to address this problem. The federal government unfortunately continues to enforce restrictive policies and regulations on research into cannabis products even though changes in state policy have led to the increasing prevalence of cannabis use and availability in a majority of US states. These barriers markedly affect the ability to conduct comprehensive basic, clinical, and public health research on cannabinoids. In the absence of an appropriately funded and supported cannabis research agenda, patients may be unaware of viable treatment options, providers may be unable to prescribe effective treatments, policy makers may be hindered from developing evidence-based policies, and health care organizations and insurance providers lack a basis on which to revise their care and coverage policies. This matter gains further urgency as Canada legalizes recreational cannabis use to the north, effectively annihilating the DEAs insistence that international treatise are what force us to label cannabis as a controlled substance. Panelists will consider practical solutions to facilitate quality clinical studies that can conclusively demonstrate CBDs medicinal efficacy, thus necessitating its reclassification from Schedule I.
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