Authored By:June McLaughlin
The American Journal of Public Health recently published an article co-authored by the Cannabis Strategy Unit (CSU) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) outlining the closing gap between Cannabis Policy and Scientific Understanding. The article noted that with rescheduling cannabis to Schedule III of controlled substances i some medical benefits of cannabis was indicated requiring the need for evolving public health understanding as well.
The CDC’s CSU was established in 2020 – an ironic start year. The goal of the unit is to monitor use of cannabis alongside its associated health and social effects along with advancing research about the same. The article links to various other academic articles concerning public health and cannabis use. One link of particular interest is to the National Academies Press publication on Cannabis Policy impacts on Public Health and Health Equity. The 341-page report provides comprehensive coverage of cannabis consumption and its changes over the years, an overview of cannabis policy, and recommendations for much needed cannabis research.
