A handful of medical cannabis companies contributed $2,000 to a research program at the University of New Mexico with the hope the school will shed more light on how MMJ can be used to fight opioid abuse, cancer and post-traumatic stress disorder.
The group of MMJ dispensaries and manufacturers donated the money, TV station KRQE reported, in part because the program has had difficulty raising money because marijuana remains illegal at the federal level.
Vigil has already conducted studies on how medical cannabis can reduce prescription drug use and help fight opioid addiction.
Legal obstacles have stalled scientific research into the medical benefits of cannabis, and despite a 2016 pledge by the Drug Enforcement Administration to issue more research permits, the agency has yet to follow through.
