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Some cannabis advocates are sounding the alarm that rescheduling weed could allow federal authorities to classify it as a prescription-only drug, allowing pharmaceutical companies to corner the market and effectively blocking it from being fully legalized. According to a new poll, one-third of weed consumers say they will go back to the illicit market if that becomes the case.
Last year the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommended that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reschedule cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the federal list of controlled substances.
Rescheduling would mean that the federal government no longer considers marijuana as one of the most dangerous drugs, but it will also open the door for federal regulators to label it as a prescription-only drug. If that happens, consumers may be forced to get a prescription from a doctor and buy weed at pharmacies instead of dispensaries.
A poll from cannabis technology company Nugg MD asked 795 pot users a number of questions about the proposed rescheduling, including what they would do if their only option to legally buy weed was to get a prescription.
The majority of respondents—55 percent—said they would buy weed from a pharmacy, but 32 percent said they would go back to buying illicit marijuana on the black market instead.
Scientists unlock the mystery of munchies
Some say it makes them calm; others say it makes them anxious. Some say it makes them happy; others say it makes them moody. One aspect of weed that is universally agreed upon is that it causes “the munchies”. And scientists now say they have discovered the cause of it.
Researchers at Washington State University recently published a study in the journal Scientific Reports that found that when mice were exposed to weed vapor, it attached to cannabinoid-1 receptors in the brain, activating feeding neurons in the hypothalamus.
The researchers used calcium imaging technology to observe how the drug interacted with the mice’s brains. They were able to home in on the neurons in the mice and turn them off. Afterward, the cannabis no longer affected the mice’s appetites.
Feds survey hemp farmers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is surveying hemp farmers to get a clearer picture of the industry. The department has sent out more than 6,000 surveys across the country.
The survey asks about outdoor grows, types of products produced, yield, trimming techniques, production of grain for human consumption, seed sources and other questions related to the industry.
The USDA is also asking farmers if their products are being used to produce extracts of CBD, CBG, CBN or other cannabinoids and terpenes.In a news release, the USDA said the survey will provide critical data about the hemp industry that will help “producers, regulatory agencies, state governments, processors, and other key industry entities.”