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U.S. NEWS Friday 8 december 2017
Veterinarians seek permission to research pot meds for pets

tember that would open juana products contain-
the path for more clinical ing CBD as a Schedule 1
research. While Hatch said drug, the same category
he opposes recreational as heroin and LSD, creates
marijuana use, he wants a “major, major, major,
marijuana-based drugs, terrible roadblock” for re-
regulated by the FDA, pro- searchers, Boothe said in a
duced for people with dis- phone interview.
orders. Researchers at the Univer-
“We lack the science to sity of Pennsylvania School
support use of medical of Veterinary Medicine
marijuana products like were studying CBDs’ ef-
CBD oils, not because re- fects on dogs with osteo-
searchers are unwilling to arthritis and pruritis, or itchi-
do the work, but because ness, until the DEA released
of bureaucratic red tape its policy statement.
and over-regulation,” “The ambiguity in this pro-
Hatch said. cess has really brought
Dawn Boothe, of Auburn us to a screeching halt,”
University’s College of Vet- said Michael DiGregorio,
erinary Medicine, is waiting director of the university’s
for federal approval to be- clinical trials center. “It is
gin a study of marijuana’s research that needs to be
In this Monday, Oct. 30, 2017, photo, Luke Byerly tends to his 14-year-old beagle, Robbie, during effects on dogs with epi- done, because there are
a break at Byerly’s job as a technician at a veterinary clinic in east Denver. Byerly is using CBD, a lepsy. a lot of CBD products out
non-psychoactive component of marijuana, oil to treat the dog’s arthritis. The classification of mari- there.”q
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
By ANDREW SELSKY pushing ahead.
Associated Press The U.S. Food and Drug
BEND, Ore. (AP) — Dr. By- Administration has warned
ron Maas surveys a supply companies that sell mari-
of marijuana products for juana products online and
dogs that lines a shelf in his via pet shops and animal
veterinary clinic. They’re hospitals that they’re violat-
selling well. ing laws by offering “unap-
“The ‘Up and Moving’ is for proved new animal drugs.”
joints and for pain,” he ex- The FDA threatened legal
plains. “The ‘Calm and Qui- action.
et’ is for real anxious dogs, But, seeing potential ben-
to take away that anxiety.” efits of CBDs, the American
People anxious to relieve Veterinary Medical As-
suffering in their pets are sociation’s policy-making
increasingly turning to oils body said last summer it
and powders that contain wants the DEA to declassify
CBDs, a non-psychoactive marijuana as a Schedule 1
component of marijuana. drug “to facilitate research
But there’s little data on opportunities for veterinary
whether they work, or if and human medical uses.”
they have harmful side ef- It asked the board of the
fects. national veterinarians’ or-
That’s because Washing- ganization to investigate
ton has been standing working with other stake-
in the way of clinical tri- holders toward that goal.
als, veterinarians and re- The board is awaiting a
searchers say. Now, a push recommendation from two
is underway to have barri- group councils.
ers removed, so both pets “The concern our member-
and people can benefit. ship has is worry about peo-
Those barriers have had ple extrapolating their own
more than just a chilling ef- dosages, looking to medi-
fect. cate their pets outside the
When the federal Drug En- realm of the medical pro-
forcement Administration fessional,” Board Chairman
announced last year that Michael Whitehair said in a
even marijuana extracts telephone interview. “This is
with CBD and little or no an important reason for us
THC - marijuana’s intoxi- to continue the research.”
cating component - are Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, a
an illegal Schedule 1 drug, conservative Republican,
the University of Pennsylva- became an unlikely cham-
nia halted its clinical trials. pion of this push when he
Colorado State University is introduced a bill in Sep-