Good evening. Here's what's moving in the world of medical cannabis today.
Pew Poll Shows Strong Public Support for Ending Marijuana Prohibition in US
A new poll from the Pew Research Center has found that marijuana prohibition is increasingly unpopular among Americans. The survey, published this week, indicates that liberalising cannabis laws continues to enjoy broad, cross-party support from voters.
NORML, the US-based cannabis policy reform organisation, said the findings should serve as a clear message to elected officials. "Elected officials who refuse to take action to end cannabis criminalisation, or who vote to stand in the way of these reform efforts, do so at their own political peril," the group stated in response to the poll.
NORML Seeks Representation at DEA Rescheduling Hearing
NORML has formally requested a seat at the upcoming Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) hearing on the proposed rescheduling of marijuana under US federal law. The organisation argues that the hearing record would be incomplete without the perspective of adult cannabis consumers.
NORML, which has represented cannabis consumers for more than fifty years, contends that patients and responsible adult users must have a voice in the proceedings. The DEA hearing is part of the ongoing federal review into whether cannabis should be moved from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, a change that would have significant implications for medical cannabis research and patient access.
Study Links US Abortion Restrictions to Reduced Miscarriage Care Access
A new study published in The Guardian has found that abortion restrictions in the United States are hindering access to care for miscarriages. The research shows that since the June 2022 Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organisation decision, states with abortion bans have increasingly adopted a wait-and-see approach, moving away from medication-based management of miscarriages.
The study indicates that care in these states is now falling below accepted medical standards. While not directly about cannabis, the findings highlight ongoing concerns about reproductive health access and the broader implications of restrictive drug scheduling policies in the US, which often intersect with cannabis-related debates around patient autonomy and medical necessity.
