Cannabis Research Explores What’s Better: The Illicit Market or Legal Market
by Chane Leigh
Research in the cannabis industry is vital and should not be undervalued. Cannabis research is a systematic investigation into cannabis in order to establish facts as well as to reach new conclusions. Researchers have to follow predetermined procedures and they have to remain as objective as humanly positive. But how does it work? Who or what agencies fund the research? Is there any bias that could potentially sway the results?
With the increase in legalization, use, and acceptance of the plants, our understanding of the plant needs to increase too. The increase in legalization has meant that the research can become more progressive as skilled professionals and resources become more available for the understanding of this plant. There is still much that we don’t know, yet there is so much that we do know.
Research that involves the direct use or possession of cannabis in any form can be conducted if the researcher:
Please note that this process is based on cannabis containing hemp with no more than 0.3% THC on the dry weight basis.
*IND =Investigational new drug
**CDER= Centre for Drug Evaluation and Research
The NIH report displayed the following statistics for the years 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
We could never compile a list of ALL the agencies and individuals who have funded or contributed to funding cannabis research. Below are some examples of those who do.
Although one can make a fairly certain assumption on the agenda behind the funding party, we can never be certain as to whether it will sway results due to ethics and obligation. Researchers are obligated to remain ethical and thus remain objective in their findings. Results that are biased in any manner are considered unethical research and should then also be dismissed…which isn’t always the case anyway.
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