University of Michigan kicks off 2.2 million dollar Marijuana Research Study

The University of Michigan has recently recieved a $2.2 million dollar federaral research grant to study marijuana's effects on pain. This funding comes from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and will pay for a two-year studty of 800 Michigan Medical Marijuana patients who are seeking to obtain a state medical marijuana card. 

The team of University of Michigan Medical School researchers will approach patients at their first doctors visit, and will try to document medical marijuana's potential impact in a more scientific way. “With the ongoing policy debate and the growing popularity of medical marijuana programs in the United States, it is essential to understand the ramifications of medical marijuana use for individuals who seek access to it,” says study leader Mark Ilgen, Ph.D., “We hope that with this study can help inform the debate.”

“Marijuana is the most frequently used drug in the nation, and has been legalized for medical use in many ways, yet we have very little understanding of how individuals using medical marijuana do over time,” says Frederic Blow, Ph.D., a co-investigator on the study. “We hope this study will help provide much-needed data on the characteristics of those who seek medical marijuana, and the longer-term impact on their health and lives."