A recent report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine warns that fragmented cannabis laws across the U.S. are creating significant public health risks. The study, released Thursday, emphasizes the need for a coordinated federal response to address increasing cannabis potency and the lack of public awareness surrounding its health effects.
Currently, 24 states and two U.S. territories have legalized cannabis for recreational use, while 13 others allow it for medical purposes. However, this patchwork of regulations has resulted in varying levels of oversight, leaving gaps in consumer protection and public education, according to the report.
Yasmin Hurd, director of the Addiction Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine and vice chair of the study’s committee, expressed concern over the rise in THC concentrations in cannabis products, which pose a heightened risk to young people, pregnant women, and seniors. “Cannabis today is much stronger than what people originally voted on,” Hurd explained, underscoring the need for urgent educational campaigns on its effects.
In addition to highlighting the health dangers posed by the escalating potency, the report also flags concerns about unregulated hemp-derived products, such as those containing delta-8 THC, a psychoactive substance growing in popularity. The study calls for Congress to address regulatory loopholes allowing these products to be sold without oversight.
The report was funded by several federal agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Among its recommendations, it urges both federal and state governments to adopt consistent product standards, similar to those applied to food and medicine. States that have legalized cannabis should also seal or expunge criminal records related to low-level cannabis offenses and enforce stricter age-verification measures to prevent underage access to the drug.
The study calls for a nationwide training and certification program for cannabis retailers, focusing on the effects of the drug, prevention of sales to minors, and warnings about cannabis-impaired driving. As the cannabis market continues to grow, the National Academies stress that public health must become a priority in the face of rising commercial interests.
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