United States – A federal advisory panel suggests that the United States CDC should play a bigger part in policy-making concerning cannabis use, which has risen among the population.
Public Health Focus in Cannabis Regulations
This was when the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) released a report on Thursday outlining how CDC can get more involved in the recommendations. The panel is also urging Congress to adjust the legal distinction among marijuana and hemp to enable the DEA to regulate the former, but the fact that hemp contains THC, an intoxicating agent, will mean that some legal products will be accessible in areas where cannabis consumption is prohibited, as reported by The Hills.
“There is an urgent need for a coordinated public health approach to cannabis policy in the U.S.,” Dr. Steven Teutsch, a senior fellow at the University of Southern California, wrote in a release. “Our report shows that cannabis policy often focuses on regulating sales and revenue first and protecting public health second.”
“Now is the time for the federal government to create guidance for states that have legalized cannabis in the interest of protecting the public’s health,” Teutsch, who chaired the committee, added.
Public Health Messaging and Surveillance
NASEM also recommended that the CDC develop a major public health messaging effort, particularly for parents and other influencers, to educate them about the danger of cannabis and unsavory use, as stated in the report above. Another recommendation made by the panel was that the agency should establish public health surveillance to get details about the effects of cannabis as well as sales of products.
The report was prepared with support from the National Institutes of Health and the CDC.
Their findings are coming at a time when daily and near-daily marijuana is becoming increasingly prevalent than daily alcohol use. This is according to a report which also notes that THC levels in products have risen significantly.
According to an analysis published in late May, 17.7 million people in 2022 reported that they consume marijuana on a daily or almost daily basis. In the present time, 38 states of the USA and the District of Columbia have legalized the recreational use of cannabis for medical reasons, as stated by the CDC.
The advisory panel stated that it is the regulators on the state level that should require certification and training for the employees of marijuana retail shops that interact with customers. NASEM also suggests that if the state’s legalization or decriminalization of cannabis has occurred, then low-level cannabis-related offenses should have record-sealing or record-expunging provisions.
Marijuana has been used to treat patients who complained of chronic pain – but it has been linked with increased risks of traffic crashes and repeated episodes of vomiting that may lead to emergency department presentation, according to the AP.
Potential Rescheduling of Marijuana
The report emerged as the Biden administration attempted to reschedule the plant from Schedule I early this year to Schedule III. The shift will most probably alleviate penalties when regarding its consumption.
Marijuana could be brought to total legalization through an act of Congress, which relocates marijuana from the CSA.