August 22, 2016

CURE Responds to DEA’s Decision on Marijuana Scheduling

Chicago, IL – This month the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced their decision to maintain marijuana as a Schedule I drug, despite petitions from Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy (CURE) and many other research and patient-focused organizations concerned with the federal barriers prohibiting researchers from fully understanding the potential of medical cannabis. Despite this setback, CURE is pleased with the DEA’s decision to expand the number of DEA-registered marijuana manufacturers for research, of which there is currently only one, so more researchers will be able to conduct much-needed research on cannabidiol (CBD) – the major non-psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, as well as the many other cannabinoids found in marijuana.

An estimated 3 million Americans currently live with epilepsy and for two-thirds of them, the cause is unknown, making treatment difficult if not impossible to pinpoint. The positive results that some people with epilepsy have been seeing from CBD-rich marijuana extracts are giving so many parents what they have been lacking for so long – hope. CBD may not be the answer for all of these families, but when available medications and surgeries do not stop the uncontrollable seizures, every avenue must be explored.

As the leading nongovernmental agency fully committed to funding research in epilepsy, we believe researchers should be encouraged and supported to test not only pure CBD, but also high CBD/low-THC cannabis, pure-THC and other types of medical marijuana to determine the efficacy of these and other combinations on seizure control and the genesis of epilepsy. We are hoping for more changes to marijuana access that makes it easier for researchers to continue their vital work.