For decades, American researchers have been forced to use only poor-quality, low-THC cannabis grown by a Mississippi contractor. Now the DEA is allowing others, who know how to grow good cannabis, to supply research-grade weed to scientists. (AdobeStock) Late last week, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) quietly made an announcement that’s expected to have a profound and long-lasting impact on cannabis research and development in the United States. In its statement, the DEA said it was “nearing the end of its review of certain marijuana grower applications, thereby allowing it to soon register additional entities authorized to produce marijuana for research purposes.” In other words, the feds are ending their monopoly on cannabis grown for scientific purposes. And that means American researchers can, for the first time ever, conduct studies using real-world cannabis instead of the terrible low-THC schwag they’ve been forced to use for decades.
Bruce Kennedy, Leafly, 05/18/2021 12:30:00