Marijuana is decriminalized or legal in some form in multiple states. But, because it’s illegal on the federal level, states have had to build their own regulatory infrastructure. Without a centralized body to guide them, regulations in one state can look vastly different from those in another. For more on the scope of the issue, Short Wave host Regina G. Barber talks to independent science journalist Teresa Carr and NPR pharmaceuticals correspondent Sydney Lupkin. Read more of Teresa’s reporting on state marijuana testing, and more of Sydney’s reporting on the ways California is trying to make weed safer.Interested in hearing more science behind consumer products? Email us your question at [email protected] – we may feature it on an upcoming episode!Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
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Most people in the U.S. now have access to some form of legal weed. But depending on the state, people could potentially be exposed to hidden health risks. Science journalist Teresa Carr did a whole investigation into this. I'm really interested at the intersection of science and society. Teresa was reporting a story about medical marijuana use when she met Oklahoma resident Summer Parker.
a medical marijuana sales and marketing professional who has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a disorder that affects the connective tissue and often causes serious chronic pain.
And she became addicted to opioids that were prescribed by her doctor for her pain. And she found that cannabis was both the way to help her overcome that addiction and it also helps assuage her pain. But a couple years ago, she and her partner Charles Arbina started having unexplained health issues. Summer had fainting episodes and stroke-like symptoms.
Charles, who had a history of migraines, suddenly they became unrelenting. He had to be hospitalized. He lost feeling in the side of his face. The doctors didn't have any real explanation for what was going on. When Charles' doctor suggested their weed could be contaminated, the couple dismissed it.
All legal products have to go through a testing process and they get a certificate of analysis or COA that says it's, you know, free of all these contaminants. And, you know, here's the chemical analysis of it. This is the THC profile.
And THC, we should say, is short for tetrahydrocannabinol, the chemical responsible for most of cannabis's psychological effects. So in a feature article Teresa wrote for Undark.org, she explains that the cannabis plant is good at sucking up things from the environment. Research has shown it could be a tool for environmental cleanup of pesticides and heavy metals.
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