Would tackling Nevada's illegal cannabis market reduce youth drug usage? Is there a way to predict susceptibility to overuse of cannabis? These were some of the questions that college students attempted to answer during a Sept. 5 showcase hosted by the UNLV Cannabis Policy Institute, highlighting student work on evidence-based recommendations to address cannabis industry challenges.
Research into cannabis remains limited. Even though it is legal in Nevada, it's still classified as a Schedule I controlled substance at the federal level, which restricts research access and funding.
"There's just such a range of sociological, economic, psychological and biological impacts that cannabis can have and that we are missing the boat on if we are not studying it," Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) said at the event.
Student Adriana Carrillo examined potential medical uses for cannabis sativa, one of the main strains of marijuana. Her work looked at sativa's classification as a controlled substance, limiting research on the strain despite its therapeutic potential in the areas of nausea, vomiting, anxiety, chronic pain, inflammation and especially epilepsy, the focus of her research.
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