Federal Agency Seeks Input from Those with Lived Drug Experience

NIDA Establishes New Working Group to Include Voices of Those with Lived Experience of Drug Use

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has recently announced the creation of a new working group aimed at enhancing the involvement of individuals with lived or living experience of substance use in government-funded drug research. This initiative seeks to ensure that the perspectives of those who have personal or family experience with drug use are directly incorporated into the ongoing development of substance abuse research agendas.

NIDA’s Call for Diverse Voices

This new working group will be composed of individuals who identify as having current or former experience with substance use, whether through personal use or through their roles as family members or caregivers of individuals who use substances. NIDA is particularly focused on including people from diverse backgrounds and experiences to ensure a broad range of perspectives.

In a flyer outlining the initiative, NIDA asks: “Are you passionate about making sure the perspectives of people who use or have used drugs are incorporated into research?” The agency is not limiting its search to those in recovery or those with formal diagnoses of substance use disorders. Instead, the invitation is extended to anyone with lived experience of substance use, including individuals who use substances such as marijuana or psychedelics recreationally.

Meeting Details and Timeline

The working group will begin its work in 2025 and will meet virtually about three to four times a year, for sessions lasting between one to two hours each. The group’s activities are expected to continue until at least 2026. These meetings will be an opportunity for members to directly influence the direction of future drug abuse research, with a particular focus on how to better engage those who use drugs in the design and execution of research studies.

This initiative will be housed under NIDA’s National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse (NACDA), an 18-member body composed of experts and public representatives who provide guidance to the agency on various drug abuse issues. Some of NACDA’s current members will also participate in the new working group to ensure that a mix of academic, scientific, and lived experience is represented.

How to Apply

Individuals interested in joining the working group must submit a personal statement to NIDA by January 10. The statement can be submitted in various formats, including written, audio, or video. In their statement, applicants should outline how their lived experience would contribute to the group’s work, and may also include any previous involvement in substance use-related research. Applicants are encouraged, though not required, to share their geographic and demographic information to help ensure diversity within the group.

Members of the working group will be compensated $200 per meeting, with no requirements for additional work outside of the meetings. It’s worth noting that the Zoom meetings will not be public, although the names of selected members will be made public.

NIDA’s Growing Role in Cannabis and Drug Research

In addition to the formation of the working group, NIDA is also making strides to meet the growing demand for research-related cannabis. The agency recently issued a request for proposals seeking contractors capable of rolling thousands of cannabis joints for federally approved studies. As marijuana research efforts have expanded rapidly in recent years, NIDA has noted a significant increase in the demand for marijuana cigarettes for research purposes, prompting the agency to seek suppliers capable of manufacturing these cannabis joints in bulk.

Notably, NIDA’s research cannabis is closely monitored, and the chemical profile of cannabis available through the agency’s Drug Supply Program is similar to that found in both state-legal dispensaries and illicit markets across the country. In a recent study, researchers highlighted that the marijuana used in federal research is nearly identical to the cannabis available in various regions of the United States, underscoring the increasingly widespread availability of similar cannabis strains.

Controversies and Challenges in Cannabis Research

While NIDA has made progress in expanding its cannabis research efforts, the agency has faced some challenges in the past, particularly with the quality of the cannabis it provides for research. A 2017 controversy arose when researchers studying cannabis for PTSD treatment in veterans criticized the marijuana supplied by NIDA, calling it “virtually unusable.” In response, NIDA has since opened up the possibility of working with additional cannabis growers for research purposes, including increasing the variety and quality of cannabis strains available to scientists.

The agency’s involvement in cannabis research extends beyond just the study of marijuana’s therapeutic effects. NIDA has also launched initiatives such as the “cannabis registry,” which aims to capture data on cannabis use and its health outcomes. The registry will track how different types of cannabis products affect users and will also assess adverse health effects that may arise from consumption.

Marijuana Industry Expansion Raises Concerns for NIDA Director

As part of its broader drug research agenda, NIDA has also been examining the commercial cannabis industry’s impact on drug use patterns. In a recent blog post, NIDA Director Nora Volkow raised concerns about how the growing marijuana industry may contribute to increased rates of drug use and substance use disorders. Volkow argued that commercial interests, driven by the expansion of state-level marijuana legalization, could be pushing drug consumption rates higher across various demographics, including youth.

Despite her concerns, Volkow acknowledged that marijuana use among adolescents has remained stable, even as the legal cannabis market has flourished. She also emphasized that while criminalization of drug use has historically been ineffective, there must be efforts to find more effective ways of regulating and addressing the risks associated with widespread marijuana availability.

Federal Government Responds to Growing Research Demands

In response to the increased demand for controlled substances like cannabis and psychedelics in research, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has raised its quotas for Schedule I and Schedule II drugs, including marijuana, psilocybin, and ibogaine. These substances are crucial for scientific research on their potential therapeutic uses, and the DEA’s new production quotas aim to ensure that researchers have enough material to conduct meaningful studies.

NIDA’s push for more cannabis research is part of this broader effort by federal agencies to expand the production and analysis of controlled substances for scientific study. This includes efforts to improve cannabis product labeling and warnings, as well as supporting studies aimed at understanding the long-term health impacts of cannabis use.

A New Era of Drug Research

With its new working group and expanded focus on cannabis and other substances, NIDA is positioning itself to play a central role in shaping the future of drug research in the United States. By including those with lived experience of drug use in the conversation, the agency hopes to create a more holistic and inclusive approach to substance use research, while also addressing the challenges posed by the growing legal marijuana industry.

As marijuana use continues to rise across the country, the insights from this new working group could help to ensure that future drug policies and research efforts are more reflective of the realities faced by people who use drugs every day.