The Colorado Board of Health has finally approved research grants for medical marijuana. They have allotted a total of $8.4 million to pay for eight studies on medical marijuana which is part of the largest state funded effort to allot for studies of the medical efficacy and potency of cannabis or marijuana.
These studies aim to look of marijuana can be used to treat childhood seizures or epilepsy, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, Parkinson's disease, inflammatory bowel disease, brain tumors and spinal disorders.
The researchers from different Universities will conduct the studies to provide evidence on the real efficacy of marijuana in order for medical marijuana to be granted legality of use across the state.
Dr. Larry Wolk, executive director of the Colorado health department said, "This is new and uncharted territory." In fact, last 2013, the legislature has authorized the health department to spend about $9 million on medical marijuana result and the remaining $1 million will be used to expand and improve previous studies and administrative expenses.
The funding came from the registration fees that patients pay to be on the state's medical marijuana registry. However, a group is against this research funding. The group, Patient and Caregiver Rights Litigation Project appeals to block the program. They claim that the use of patient fees is to be used only for administrative purposes and spending it on unconstitutional use of funds can deem a lawsuit.
According to Kathleen Chippi, one of the lawsuit's plaintiffs, told the Board of Health on Wednesday about the grant program. "You don't have the legal right." She added that the group would prefer the state to use private money from other sources to budget these studies but not the money of patients.
However, other groups who are advocated of medical marijuana, wants the health department to push through with the studies in order to treat diseases. Many patients who benefited from medical marijuana are positive that these researches would help in the legalization of marijuana as a medicine for various illnesses.