Robert Celt
New Member
Medical professionals are lauding federal agencies for loosening medical marijuana research regulations, but those fighting to legalize its use in Pennsylvania worry it may further delay the process.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced in late December that it would be relaxing requirements on cannabis-derived research, according to a Pennsylvania Medical Society press release.
North Codorus Township mother Cara Salemme, whose 9-year-old son Jackson Salemme could be treated with medical cannabis for the severe seizures he suffers, said the DEA's announcement was "a tiny step forward," but not nearly enough.
Salemme, who works with a group called Campaign for Compassion to support medical marijuana legalization, said the current research being conducted wouldn't help her son, even though he's suffering just as much as those with conditions for which cannabis is being explored as an option.
"Why is one group's pain more important than another?,"she asked.
Dr. Scott Shapiro, president of the state medical society, said more research needs to be conducted on cannabis before doctors can accurately know what they'd be prescribing.
"The problem is, there's so many different chemicals and types (of marijuana) involved," Shapiro said. "What we need is better data."
Shapiro said the semantics of the DEA's new regulations weren't completely clear, but the move to allow researchers more access was definitely a step in the right direction.
"We as physicians are not against anything that can help patients ... but we don't want to have patients asking us to recommend (drugs) for which we don't have enough knowledge or data available," he said.
Senate Bill 3, sponsored by Republican state Sen. Mike Folmer, would give Pennsylvanians suffering from some illnesses access to a medical form of cannabis. The bill was passed in the Senate in May, but has since stalled in the House after undergoing nearly 200 amendments.
Folmer said he's not giving up on getting his legislation passed.
"We need to step up the rhetoric and continue to educate," he said. "That's how I got in favor of (legalizing medical marijuana) to begin with; I wasn't totally in favor of it at first, but I spent the time doing the research.
"This is not political; this is about the people," Folmer added.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Is It Enough In Pa? DEA Loosens Marijuana Regulations
Author: David Weissman
Contact: York Dispatch
Photo Credit: Seth Perlman
Website: York Dispatch
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced in late December that it would be relaxing requirements on cannabis-derived research, according to a Pennsylvania Medical Society press release.
North Codorus Township mother Cara Salemme, whose 9-year-old son Jackson Salemme could be treated with medical cannabis for the severe seizures he suffers, said the DEA's announcement was "a tiny step forward," but not nearly enough.
Salemme, who works with a group called Campaign for Compassion to support medical marijuana legalization, said the current research being conducted wouldn't help her son, even though he's suffering just as much as those with conditions for which cannabis is being explored as an option.
"Why is one group's pain more important than another?,"she asked.
Dr. Scott Shapiro, president of the state medical society, said more research needs to be conducted on cannabis before doctors can accurately know what they'd be prescribing.
"The problem is, there's so many different chemicals and types (of marijuana) involved," Shapiro said. "What we need is better data."
Shapiro said the semantics of the DEA's new regulations weren't completely clear, but the move to allow researchers more access was definitely a step in the right direction.
"We as physicians are not against anything that can help patients ... but we don't want to have patients asking us to recommend (drugs) for which we don't have enough knowledge or data available," he said.
Senate Bill 3, sponsored by Republican state Sen. Mike Folmer, would give Pennsylvanians suffering from some illnesses access to a medical form of cannabis. The bill was passed in the Senate in May, but has since stalled in the House after undergoing nearly 200 amendments.
Folmer said he's not giving up on getting his legislation passed.
"We need to step up the rhetoric and continue to educate," he said. "That's how I got in favor of (legalizing medical marijuana) to begin with; I wasn't totally in favor of it at first, but I spent the time doing the research.
"This is not political; this is about the people," Folmer added.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Is It Enough In Pa? DEA Loosens Marijuana Regulations
Author: David Weissman
Contact: York Dispatch
Photo Credit: Seth Perlman
Website: York Dispatch
