More than half of all U.S. states have legalized cannabis, be it for medical purposes, recreational use, or both. The shelves of cannabis dispensaries offer an ever-widening array of gummies, drinks and joints.
Meanwhile, the federal government still considers most types of cannabis illegal.
A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, released this week, finds this disconnect between the states and the federal government is leading to fragmented policies, and risks to the public.
As states built new commercial markets for cannabis, they initially focused on regulating sales and revenue. “The consequence of that is the public health aspects were often given a backseat and we’re now playing catch up for that,” says Dr. Steven Teutsch, chair of the National Academies committee that wrote the report on how cannabis impacts public health.
The report calls for federal leadership and national standards on cannabis quality and potency, to safeguard public health.
Read the full article at NPR.
