For years, cannabis advocates have been pushing to have marijuana tested as a valid substitute for opioids like percocet and other painkillers. However, even though there is already some evidence suggesting this could be a viable alternative, Congress is still blocking scientists from doing more research to determine if this is a valid option.
The U.S. House Rules Committee voted last week to against two proposed amendments that would allow for testing of cannabis against painkillers to see if cannabis could yield similar pain management results.
These amendments would have given a team of drug-specialist scientists the green light to, in the language of the amendments themselves, test “the potential for marijuana to serve as an alternative to opioids for pain management,”and conduct research that would compare and contrast “the medical application of marijuana and opioids for pain management.”
“Medical marijuana is a possible and likely way to reduce opioid prescription “If it can avoid going onto narcotics like opioids, which often lead to abuse, I think it can be an important part of the arsenal in dealing with this plague and epidemic of opioid abuse,”painkiller abuse for chronic pain,” explained Representative Jared Polis when speaking in front of Congress to try and get the amendments passed. “And unfortunately, it’s hardly been explored due to government policy, in large part because of the federal government’s monopoly on legal cultivation and studies.”
However, despite this hopeful speech, the Rules Committee rejected all of the amendments that suggested approaches to studying pain management with marijuana. This is very unfortunate for cannabis research in general, especially since so many people overdose on pain pills every day. Hopefully, a new approach to research will be posed soon, so that progress on this issue can finally move forward.
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