Editor’s note: The Chasing Life With Dr podcast. Sanjay Gupta explores the medical science behind some of life’s major and minor mysteries. You can listen to episodes here.
(CNN) — Cannabis, or marijuana, has come a long way on the road back to legitimacy in the United States, and a major milestone may soon be reached: a realignment. That’s the technical term for reclassifying it as a less dangerous drug, which would loosen some of the restrictions around it at the federal level.
Cannabis was widely used as medicine in the 19th and early 20th centuries. But Congress effectively criminalized it in 1937 with the passage of the Marijuana Tax Act. Since 1996, marijuana has since become accessible for medical or recreational use by adults in most states.
But at the federal level it’s a different story. Currently, cannabis is a Schedule I drug, under the Controlled Substance Act, along with drugs like heroin and LSD. By definition, Schedule I drugs have a high potential for abuse and there are currently no accepted medicinal uses. The U.S. Department of Justice is considering moving marijuana from a Schedule I drug to a less restricted Schedule III drug.
Rescheduling cannabis is a complicated process. President Joe Biden has officially requested the shift in 2022, and multiple agencies are involved, including the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The latter agency found “credible scientific support” for the use of cannabis to treat certain conditions, including chronic pain.
That cannabis can potentially be used safely and effectively in a medical context is not a new concept to Dr. Staci Gruber, associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School in Boston, who has dedicated her career to understanding the effects of cannabis on the brain.
“Right now there is a tremendous amount of evidence that suggests that certain cannabinoids work relatively effectively in some people with certain types of pain,” Gruber recently told CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta in his podcast Chasing Life. “We certainly saw in our observational studies that individuals independently reduced their use of opioids after starting a cannabinoid regimen.”
You can listen to the full episode of the podcast here.
What would rescheduling cannabis mean for the average American? Gruber shares five things you need to know about the potential reclassification of cannabis.
Don’t expect major changes at the consumer level
As the next step in the process, the DEA has scheduled a public hearing for December 2; experts and stakeholders may speak about the proposed change.
If the realignment occurs to a large extent, cannabis would still be regulated.
“One letter makes a difference: REscheduling is not DEscheduling,” Gruber wrote in an email. “While the realignment will have significant tax implications for the industry and change the administrative burden for researchers, this is unlikely to change much for consumers and patients.”
She said, for example, you still wouldn’t be able to buy cannabis as a Schedule III drug over the counter or in a regular store.
Do your homework
Be honest about what you want and then select a product that aligns with those goals.
“Know before you go: Make sure you know what you want to achieve with cannabis/cannabinoids before you buy, and be honest with yourself,” says Gruber, who is also director of the Cognitive and Clinical Neuroimaging Core and the Marijuana Research for Neuroscientific Discovery Program, both at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts.
For example, she wondered: would you want to use cannabis for medical reasons, for recreation or for a combination of both?
Carefully choosing the right product with a goal in mind will impact the experience you have – whether it is a clinical benefit or a side effect.
Trust but verify
Make sure you know exactly what is in the product you buy.
“Buyer beware,” Gruber said. “Know what you are looking for in a product, and don’t just rely on the product label. Ask for Certificates of Analysis (COAs) for the products you are interested in to confirm exactly what is in the product and what it contains. what amount.”
She said independent laboratory analyzes are best.
Are you reeling in the years?
Remember your age — it matters, Gruber said.
“Cannabis poses higher potential risks for children/adolescents and emerging adults, especially when exposed to higher amounts of THC and higher potency products as they are in the midst of critical brain development,” she said.
On the other hand, she pointed out that older adults with slower metabolisms may also be sensitive to cannabinoid products. “But many adults experience unique benefits from cannabinoids,” she noted.
Regardless of age, cannabis use is associated with potential health risks.
Know yourself
Take your personal and medical history into account.
“We are not all created equal,” Gruber said. “Everyone will likely respond differently to cannabis and cannabinoid products.”
She said individual responses are based on a number of factors, including what compounds are in the product, how the product is used, previous experience with cannabinoids, the consumer’s age, metabolism, use of other substances, genetics and family history of certain conditions .
Another important factor is the use of conventional medications. “Drug interactions are a potential concern, as are cannabinoids; CBD in particular can interact with liver enzymes and increase or decrease serum levels of other medications when taken orally,” she said.
As a final point, Gruber said: “Remember – using cannabis for medical purposes doesn’t mean you have to get high or feel changed – be aware of the THC content and make sure you start low and go slow.”
We hope these five tips help you understand what a cannabis realignment would mean. Listen to the full episode here. And join the Chasing Life podcast next week for a fascinating discussion about the brain between two neurosurgeons, CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Dr. Theodore Schwartz of Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City
CNN Audio’s Jennifer Lai contributed to this report.
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