Research – Cannabis Education & Research Institute

AN OBJECTIVE VOICE IN CANNABIS RESEARCH

At the Cannabis Education and Research Institute, we’re leading careful research to gain real-world evidence and a deeper understanding of the potential of medicinal cannabis.

OUR CURRENT RESEARCH: PARKINSON’S
DISEASE AND CANNABIS

More than three-quarters of patients who used cannabis to treat symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease found “great relief” or “a little relief,” according to research by the Cannabis Education and Research Institute and The College of New Jersey. In the survey of about 500 patients with Parkinson’s disease who have used cannabis, 31 percent reported “great relief” in the treatment; 48 percent found a “little relief”; and 15 percent found cannabis made no difference in their symptoms. Meanwhile, about five percent said they felt a little or a lot worse.

Download our latest research “Cannabis Use To Relieve Symptoms Of Parkinson’s Disease”.

Our Current Research Partners

WHY GET INVOLVED WITH OUR RESEARCH?

CERI brings together thought leaders in the field and is working to create a registry for physicians, patients, and researchers, and create pilot programs for payers to determine the value of cannabis to their members. As public policy around cannabis continues to shift, CERI will be a powerful voice in support of the medicinal cannabis patient.

CERI advocates strongly for a change in the Drug Enforcement Administration classification of marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug. While the use of medicinal marijuana has been legalized in many states, there is no accepted medicinal use of marijuana at a federal level. Using cannabis, even in laboratory research, in states where it’s legal is considered a federal felony — creating legal issues that continue to hold back important research and consequentially, treatment of patients. We hope our own research projects can help bring about much needed policy change.

Our Board of Trustees is composed of physicians, scientists, and public policy experts who believe that CERI can advance research and objective analysis of medicinal cannabis. We will keep our supporters apprised as we move forward with our mission to advance research and knowledge of cannabis.

FINDING THE BEST TREATMENT FOR PATIENTS

As we advance medicinal cannabis research through patient feedback, we plan to research the effect of cannabis on pain and nausea related to cancer and cancer treatment. The Compassionate Care Foundation’s research already has found that many people using opioids for chronic pain can reduce or stop their opioid use with medicinal marijuana.

We also believe there is an urgent need to study the vaping of cannabis, as people across the nation have fallen ill vaping marijuana. At a time when many states are moving to legalize cannabis recreationally — a change that has the potential to devastate the medicinal cannabis industry, research is critical.

SECURING THE FUTURE OF MEDICINAL MARIJUANA TREATMENT

In Oregon, reports found that after recreational marijuana was legalized, the number of medicinal-only shops fell from 400 to 2. Patients who relied on specific cannabis strains, often those with low levels of THC, found fewer options and significant price hikes, and struggled to receive the treatment they needed. The legalization of recreational use in California and Colorado also led to a similar decrease in the accessibility of medicinal marijuana for CA and CO residents.

Marajuana strains useful for medicinal cannabis patients are often not popular with recreational users. As a result, as many people turn to cheaper, more easily accessible recreational marijuana, there is less incentive for medicinal dispensaries to continue to cultivate medicinal strains so many patients rely on.

For people who rely on medicinal marijuana to control ailments such as epilepsy, nausea from cancer pain, multiple sclerosis spasms, and other chronic conditions, losing access to their treatment can be devastating.

Is your organization interested in participating in our research?

At CERI, we believe the best way to preserve access to medicinal cannabis is through reputable research — research that could prompt third-party payers to cover medicinal cannabis. Medicinal coverage of cannabis could strongly sustain the market for medicinal marijuana as states continue to legalize recreational use – supporting both medicinal marijuana patients and dispensaries.