The arrival of the Trump administration has led to a wave of uncertainty in the cannabis community. The path toward potential rescheduling is on hold while a number of prohibitionist appointees have some industry advocates understandably concerned. This month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) quietly released its “Cannabis Strategic Plan” amid growing government concerns around the plant—but there are some positive notes, too.
The CDC decided to develop the plan after citing increased THC potency in cannabis products and a growing number of people using the plant. The agency outlined a number of actions to “foster a public health approach, improve messaging, and secure dedicated resources to address the health risks of cannabis.”
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There are five pillars to the CDC plan:
Monitor trends
Advance research
Build state, tribal, local, and territorial (STLT) capacity
Support health systems and healthcare providers
Partner with public safety, schools, and community coalitions
Improve public knowledge and awareness
Example activities include reviewing the efficacy of medical marijuana, addressing underage consumption, developing fact sheets on the benefits and harms of cannabis use, and understanding how local policies may affect medication prescribing. The CDC also hopes to expand government data collection systems for risk assessments associated with substance use.
The agency is specifically interested in how cannabis may impact workers, pregnant women, infants and young children, adolescents, and other key demographic groups. CDC officials called out substance use disorder, occupational injury, car accidents, employment, and other social effects of consumption in its inquiry.
While most of the strategy centers around potential risks associated with cannabis, the agency does concede there are benefits as well in a number of its bullet points. Despite the dominant language around safety, the admission is a welcome sign, given the federal government’s prior reluctance to admit the plant has therapeutic value.
However, the feds have seemingly been tipping their proverbial toes in the water—especially as the recent rescheduling review indicated there is potential for medical marijuana use. Perhaps the new CDC plan will add more evidence to the arguments in favor of reform.
H/T: news.google.com
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