(Editor’s note: Opinion pieces are posted only for purposes of discussion.)
With legislation initiatives spreading, voters need accurate information on the health effects of marijuana. But cannabis research is thin, thanks to onerous federal restrictions.
That must change. A scientifically rigorous understanding of marijuana’s impacts and potential is necessary to set clear and wise public policies. This is a substance, after all, that has major implications for society, from medicine to criminal justice.
Government should be encouraging such research, not stifling it. But, as a recent New York Times article explained, scientists face numerous hurdles when they attempt to conduct studies on marijuana.
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