Although more than 30 states have legalized medical marijuana and lawmakers are now working on legislation to federally deschedule cannabis, the industry has constantly been weighed down by prohibition. Thanks to marijuana’s status as a Schedule I controlled substance at the federal level, federal agencies tend to take a hard line against the substance. The Substance Abuse and Mental Services Administration (“SAMHSA”) has in the past taken such a stance, unequivocally stating that its grant funds cannot be used to buy, prescribe and provide cannabis or treatment via medical marijuana. However, cannabis reform activists will be happy to know that the SAMHSA recently softened the grant funding restrictions concerning medical cannabis. On Aug. 2, 2021, the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (“PDDAP”) noted that there had been a change in the language regarding organizations that are eligible to receive federal grants from the SAMHSA. Specifically, a recent memo from PPDAP stated that new wording had invalidated the medical cannabis restrictions, stating that SAMHSA’s policy no longer contained language prohibiting the use of grant funds for anything medical marijuana-related.
CannabisNewsWire, 08/13/2021 04:20:00