In an op-ed released in the Association of American Medical Colleges, Dr. Nora Volkow, MD, director of the nation’s top federal drug research agency, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, critiqued federal US views surrounding drugs, use and addiction treatment, and argued for cannabis decriminalization.
Said Volkow, “Government policies, including criminal justice measures, often reflect — and contribute to — stigma. When we penalize people who use drugs because of an addiction, we suggest that their use is a character flaw rather than a medical condition. And when we incarcerate addicted individuals, we decrease their access to treatment and exacerbate the personal and societal consequences of their substance use. What’s more, drug laws are disproportionately leveraged against Black people and Black communities, driving societal and health disparities.”
Dr. Volkow has also made clear that scientists should be allowed to research dispensary retail cannabis instead of the federally grown cannabis currently supplied.
