Senate Drug Caucus Holds Hearing on Barriers to Cannabidiol Research

WASHINGTON, DC — The Senate International Narcotics Control Caucus held a hearing Wednesday on facilitating cannabidiol research.  Cannabidiol, or CBD, is found in cannabis and has shown great potential to treat intractable epilepsy and numerous other conditions.

According to the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) CBD is considered a schedule I substance, despite the growing body of evidence indicating therapeutic benefits to patients suffering from dravet syndrome and other severe forms of epilepsy.  The hearing also focused on regulatory oversight and reforming the process for researchers to obtain cannabis.

“During today’s hearing we heard Nora Volkow, the head of National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), acknowledge that researchers would benefit from ending the monopoly that…