Pubdate: Sun, 10 Aug 2014
Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA)
Copyright: 2014 Hearst Communications Inc.
Contact: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/submissions/#1
Website: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/388
Page: A13

RESEARCH SCIENTISTS TRYING TO STUDY POT FACE FEDERAL HURDLES

Nearly four years ago, Dr. Sue Sisley, a psychiatrist at the
University of Arizona, sought federal approval to study marijuana's
effectiveness in treating military veterans with posttraumatic stress
disorder. She had no idea how difficult it would be.

The proposal, which has the support of veterans groups, was hung up at
several regulatory stages, requiring the research's private sponsor to
resubmit it multiple times. After the proposed study received final
approval in March from federal health officials, the lone federal
supplier of research marijuana said it did not have the strains the
study needed and would have to grow more - potentially delaying the
project until at least early next year.

Then in June, the university fired Sisley, later citing funding and
reorganization issues. But Sisley is convinced the real reason was her
outspoken support for marijuana research.

"They could never get comfortable with the idea of this controversial,
high-profile research happening on campus," she said.

Sisley's case is an extreme example of the obstacles and frustrations
scientists face in trying to study the medical uses of marijuana.
Dating back to 1999, the Department of Health and Human Services has
said it does not see much potential for developing marijuana in smoked
form into an approved prescription drug.

Scientists say this position has had a chilling effect on marijuana
research.

Although more than 1 million people are thought to use the drug to
treat ailments ranging from cancer to seizures to hepatitis C and
chronic pain, there are few rigorous studies showing whether the drug
is a fruitful treatment for those, or any other conditions.

Amajor reason is this: The federal government categorizes marijuana as
a Schedule 1 drug, the most restrictive of five groups established by
the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Drugs in this category -
including heroin, LSD, peyote and ecstasy - are considered to have no
accepted medical use in the U.S. and a high potential for abuse, and
are subject to tight restrictions on scientific study.

In the case of marijuana, those restrictions are even greater than for
other controlled substances.

To obtain the drug legally, researchers like Sisley must apply to the
Food and Drug Administration, the Drug Enforcement Administration and
the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Sisley's proposed study also had
to undergo an additional layer of review from the Public Health Service.

The process is so cumbersome that a growing number of elected state
officials, medical experts and members of Congress have started
calling for loosening the restrictions. In June, a letter signed by 30
House members, including four Republicans, called the extra scrutiny
of marijuana projects "unnecessary," saying that research "has often
been hampered by federal barriers."

Yet despite the mounting push, there is little evidence that either
Congress or the White House is interested in changing marijuana's status.
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