“Tea” Time? Cannabis Legalization in Canada
In Summary
Last summer an op-ed came out in response to cannabis legalization in Canada discussing the risks and benefits of the legalization. The author acknowledges the myriad of health benefits that cannabis has been shown to treat but also brings forth the gaps in our knowledge that still remain. The piece urges physicians to fully discuss the most current information with their patients when recommending cannabis and for at-home cultivators to carefully manage their plants to prevent underage consumption. The author ends the piece on a hopeful note, mentioning that the only certainty of legalization cannabis is that much more robust research will be able to be conducted and provide more information for the public.
The author emphasizes the research opportunities that have now opened up in Canada due to the legalization of cannabis, highlighting the limitations of cannabis research in the United States. As cannabis is currently ruled a schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act the federal government sees no medical benefit in medical cannabis, despite an abundance of research. Researchers around the world have found evidence that cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids can provide novel therapies for various disorders yet research in the US is still extremely limited by the lack of federal funding. Canada’s decision to legalize cannabis opens the door for so many cannabis-based therapies to be developed, and for economic and healthcare reasons, other countries should follow along.
The study is available for review or download here:
View more studies like this in the CED Foundation Archive: http://bit.ly/drcaplan