The proposed reclassification of marijuana as a drug that should not be grouped with the likes of heroin and LSD has been a long time coming.
While the widespread use of marijuana as a recreational drug goes back at least a century in the United States, and it’s been officially sanctioned by some states for medical use for decades, federal regulators have insisted that it be classified alongside the most dangerous of illegal substances.
That may change with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration saying it has started the process of moving cannabis from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Substance Act. There is still a way to go, but if the process plays out, marijuana would be classified in the same category as Tylenol with codeine — not a drug that can be used without significant care but also not one with a blanket ban on its use.
There is plenty of anecdotal and some scientific evidence that marijuana can help with numerous ailments, including providing pain relief.
Given the disastrous period when opioids were routinely prescribed for pain relief, it’s no wonder that many injured workers and their medical advisers have viewed marijuana as a safer alternative that can ease discomfort without the same risk of dependency.
As marijuana’s medical use has grown, several states have ruled that employers and workers compensation insurers should reimburse injured workers for the cost of using it. However, given the federal marijuana ban, many payers remain wary of the conflict between state and federal laws.
One of the most significant issues, though, as we report here, is that the illegal status of the drug has restricted research on it. Even though marijuana and its derivatives are available for legal purchase in many states, federal law has made it difficult for researchers to obtain significant amounts of the drug for research purposes and gain funding to conduct the research.
Without such studies, it’s difficult to prove the drug’s efficacy to the satisfaction of payers and many users or, on the other hand, obtain insights into its limitations or possible harmful effects.
Given the ease of access to marijuana and the lack of scientific research in the U.S., it’s little wonder that it is touted as a cure for numerous conditions, often by people with questionable credentials.
By reclassifying marijuana as a Schedule III drug, medical professionals should eventually be able to confidently prescribe it for any conditions it can help alleviate, determine the proper dosage, and provide advice and warnings on possible side effects.
The time is long overdue for medical marijuana to be scientifically accepted or rejected rather than remain in the realm of conjecture and hearsay.