For marijuana research, rescheduling would be only the beginning

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For nearly two decades, I have been deeply involved in drug policy at both the state and federal levels – serving first at the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports and later as general counsel in the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy.

I’ve witnessed firsthand the catastrophic misuse of prescribed opioids that have claimed more than 80,000 lives from the rise of illicitly manufactured fentanyl alone.

But despite the daily horrors that opioid misuse ripples across communities, I believe we are on the cusp of a potentially transformative moment where the potential rescheduling of marijuana and the realization of Medicare innovation might provide seniors with a non-opioid alternative to treat many age-related medical conditions.

Cannabis research ahead

In May, the U.S. Department of Justice initiated the rulemaking process to move marijuana from Schedule 1, the most restrictive drug classification, to Schedule 3.

This is important because it indicates that medical experts at the Department of Health and Human Services determined marijuana has a currently accepted medical use.

Just as important: Rescheduling would accelerate desperately needed research into the medical applications of marijuana to treat various conditions.

But the act of rescheduling marijuana alone would not further the necessary work.

Meaningful change can happen only if decision-makers take bold and swift steps to open the door for more research into the potential of medical cannabis as an alternative for treating age-related conditions.

“Advancing the understanding of the medical uses of marijuana through compassionate care and research is the greatest hurdle standing in our way of integrating medical cannabis into 65-plus health care,” said Howard Kessler, founder of The Commonwealth Project in Massachusetts, who has spent the past half-decade working to bring cannabis-based treatments to aging Americans for pain and other ailments.

Kessler helped launch a study at the MorseLife Health System in Florida that found more than 62% of senior residents 65-75 years old either replaced or reduced pharmaceutical usage because of cannabinoid-based therapies.

“While these results are promising,” Kessler said, “we need more research to safely inform more seniors and their health care practitioners about the benefits of medical cannabis.”

Medicare at risk

Kessler’s point is well taken and echoes the same commitment to senior health that prompted President Lyndon Johnson in 1965 to sign the Medicare and Medicaid Act into law – establishing Medicare to provide health coverage for Americans 65 and older.

Fast forward nearly 60 years, and today that ironclad commitment is being challenged because of the costs of sustaining Medicare.

Ironically, there is perhaps no greater threat to senior health than the overuse of prescribed opioids.

Too many seniors are being treated with highly addictive opioids for pain and management, putting them at risk for addiction and overdose.

Medical cannabis might be the fix for this.

Medical marijuana statistics

In states where marijuana is legal, doctors prescribed an average of 1,826 fewer daily doses of painkillers per year to patients enrolled in Medicare Part D.

Using those figures, making medical marijuana accessible nationwide could result in cost savings of up to $500 million per year.

If marijuana is rescheduled, our first priority must be expanding research to study the use of medical cannabis for treating pain and other conditions for seniors in a controlled way – and integrating compassionate care within a payer-provider health care system such as Medicare Advantage.

The potential savings to the Medicare system could be substantial, and it could help improve the quality of life for seniors.

The DOJ and Drug Enforcement Administration are on the verge of ushering in one of the most historic moments in marijuana since the 1970s, but that moment will remain little more than a squandered opportunity without additional action.

Now is the time to pave the way for more research on medical cannabis as an alternative to prescription drugs – to reduce the 65-and-older population’s reliance on opioids for treating pain and other medical conditions.

Integrating medical cannabis into senior care could improve the lives of millions of older Americans who deserve more and better treatment options as they navigate increasingly complex health issues in their golden years.

Robert Kent served as general counsel to the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy during the first two years of the Biden-Harris administration. He can be reached at rakecd91@gmail.com.