PTSD Study Using MMJ Moves Forward After Year Delay

A long-planned study on the effects of MMJ on post-traumatic stress disorder may finally begin after the National Institute of Drug Abuse said it is ready to supply the smokeable cannabis needed for the study.

The research project was approved more than a year ago by the the Department of Health and Human Services, the Food & Drug Administration and the Drug Enforcement Agency.

Originally slated to be hosted at the University of Arizona, the study was suspended when the university abruptly fired its lead researcher. While reasons for Sue Sisley’s termination were not clear, the consensus among industry watchers was that the university did not want to conflict with Arizona lawmakers who opposed the study.

Sisley and the MAPS will set up an independent laboratory, and 76 veterans will take part, according to Military.com. The HHS gave its approval last month and FDA approval was renewed automatically. The DEA is expected to approve the study, according to the MAPS.

Review boards at the University of Pennsylvania and the Copernicus Independent Review Board of North Carolina gave approval for the research and will ensure the safety of participants and quality of research procedures, Military.com reported.