Policy changes and medical marijuana go hand in hand, and for Danielle Piomelli, professor of anatomy and neurobiology at University of California- Irvine, true progress is only possible if the federal status of the drug is changed.
He said it’s difficult to carry out research at a publicly funded U.S. university because marijuana remains designated as a Schedule 1 drug—the same category as narcotics with high abuse potential, such as heroin, LSD and cocaine.
“The Controlled Substance Act was passed in the ’70s, when we didn’t understand the full potential of this substance,” he said of marijuana.
He hopes to get an exemption on Schedule 1 obligations so that research can be conducted and data collected. He’s particularly interested to know the impact of cannabis on pregnant women and fetuses.
“Anecdotal evidence does not stand as real data.”
NiaMedics USA Business Development Officer Alon Blatt agrees. He said Israel will remain the company’s hub for medical marijuana research.
He pointed out that while Israel is very strict in granting permission for medical marijuana, it’s more supportive of research because the drug is legal there.
But Blatt also said the biggest market for cannabis is in the U.S., thus its plan to open an OC clinic this month. “There are more varieties here … [For example,] cannabis topicals isn’t legal in Israel, but they are here.”
But the good news for them is that the Food and Drug Administration is aware of the therapeutic benefits of cannabis and will help advance “sound developmental programs that properly evaluate active ingredients contained in marijuana,” according to a June press release from the agency announcing its approval of Epidiolex. The drug, designed to treat two rare and severe forms of epilepsy, is the first FDA-approved drug that contains cannabidiol, or CBD, a nonintoxicating substance derived from cannabis.
Long Beach-based Nemus Bioscience Inc. (OTCQB: NMUS), formerly in Costa Mesa, develops cannabinoid-based therapeutics. Cannabinoids are a class of diverse chemical compounds extracted from the cannabis plant. Its drug pipeline includes preclinical indications for glaucoma and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
The agency previously approved two drugs, Marinol and Syndros, that contain tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC—the psychoactive component of marijuana. The ingredient is synthetically derived.
— Sherry Hsieh
