RENO, Nev. (KOLO) -In 2000 medicinal marijuana was legalized here in Nevada through a voter initiative.
But a dispensary did not open in this state until 2016. Recreational marijuana would follow.
Public consumption is illegal.
But for the medicinal marijuana user that isn’t an issue. Finding relief from pain, or other medical condition may be helped by marijuana is more of the focus.
But there are few clinical trials that have been done on marijuana and its impact on medical conditions.
”It is all observational,” says Jennifer Pearson, an Associate Professor with UNR’s School of Public Health. “So, we just kind of have to watch and see how people use it. But that is not the best level of evidence.”
Pearson’s research involves tobacco and cannabis regulatory science.
She says research could open up with a change in marijuana scheduling.
Once on the same level as heroin, it will soon be considered by the FDA and the DEA as a schedule three drug much like Tylenol with codeine.
“It could mean a few of the tens of thousands of studies that we need to understand,” says Pearson. “Both whether medical marijuana as it is used could perhaps treat things like insomnia, or glaucoma, does that actually work.”
She anticipates applying for and receiving federal grants to study marijuana may be difficult.
Besides the paperwork and licenses needed, researchers will have to explain what they are doing and then determine what kind and form the marijuana would come in. Could she go to a dispensary? Or would she have to go where the medicinal marijuana is grown?
With all that in mind, she does have some ideas of what she would like to find out.
“I really want to give people edible products,” says Pearson. “And put them in a driving simulator see what happens. See how long it takes people to sober up to other safe drivers.”
Pearson envisions studies on why people use medical marijuana. How is it used in the real world? How is the product advertised and labeled? And how does a patient interpret those labels?
Such studies could impact the way dispensaries conduct business in Nevada as it applies to the medical marijuana patient.
Dispensaries may be wondering too how much federal input and regulation will be influencing their day-to-day operation.
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