LSAM Urges Caution in Further Expansion of Louisiana’s Medical Cannabis Program

On August 23rd, the Louisiana Society of Addiction Medicine (LSAM) sent a letter to the leadership of the Health and Welfare Committees in both the Louisiana House and Senate reviewing the efficacy of medical cannabis and urging lawmakers to consider scientific evidence when initiating future changes to the state’s medical cannabis program.

In the letter, LSAM recommended that lawmakers exercise caution when considering expansions to Louisiana’s existing medical cannabis program. LSAM emphasized that the medical benefits of cannabis are largely unproven. Due to its federal status as a Schedule I controlled substance, there are significant regulatory barriers complicating the process of conducting cannabis research. However, LSAM referenced studies indicating that medical cannabis is only effective to treat a limited number of conditions, such as severe forms of epilepsy and nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy. Further, LSAM noted that cannabis has proven counterproductive in treating psychiatric disorders, including an association with elevated rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Finally, LSAM cautioned against adding opioid use disorder (OUD) as a qualifying condition in Louisiana’s medical cannabis program, citing a lack of evidence and the presence of significantly more proven medications such as methadone and buprenorphine. 

Read the letter here.