“Removing barriers for medical cannabis is one way in which Congress can help scientific researchers determine what the benefits of medical cannabis might be for Parkinson’s disease.”

With barriers to cannabis falling all over Canada and the U.S., the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) is doing its best to ensure access leads to progress.

The foundation has come out in support of three specific reform bills in the U.S., the first of which would make it easier to pursue cannabis research—particularly into Parkinson’s disease. The second bill would make it easier for veterans to obtain cannabis and the third would change the classification of the drug on the federal level to facilitate research efforts into potential benefits.

“Removing barriers for medical cannabis is one way in which Congress can help scientific researchers determine what the benefits of medical cannabis might be for Parkinson’s disease,” said Ted Thompson, senior vice president of public policy for MJFF. “Our role on the public policy team is to work with Congress and the administration to ensure there is access and funding for research and care initiatives that can benefit people living with Parkinson’s and, right now, that includes access to medical cannabis for research,” Thompson added.

Improved access to cannabis around the world has prompted a flurry of new research that holds the potential to unlock new treatments and therapies into a wide range of diseases. Clinical trials to test the effects of CBD on Parkinson’s disease are already about to get underway in the U.K. Researchers are hopeful the drug can provide relief from the psychosis and delusions that can accompany the disease.

“The study will also look at the effect of CBD on other symptoms, which will pave the way for scientists to investigate the potential of the compound in treating these in future studies,” said Sagnik Bhattacharyya, one of the lead researchers of the trial. “We hope this will progress to large-scale clinical trials—the final step towards becoming a new treatment that will improve the lives of people with Parkinson’s.”

Early testing has shown the potential for treatment, said Dr. Robert Duarte, director of Northwell Health’s Pain Center in New York, who uses the drug to help Parkinson’s sufferers with their pain.

“I have also seen it work on insomnia and anxiety,” Dr. Duarte said. “If you’re sleeping better and have less anxiety, there is definitely a relationship between that and improving your tremor.”

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