Researchers who are studying the treatment of medical cannabis for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are asking the government to provide them with better quality cannabis.

If scientists wanted to study cannabis through the federal government, the only federally mandated grow is located at the University of Mississippi. In the past, researchers complained about the poor quality of cannabis and claimed it could hinder research logistics since it does not reflect the quality of dispensary medical cannabis. 

PTSD researcher Sue Sisley, a vocal opponent of federally-sanctioned cannabis quality, said the cannabis she is given does not resemble the medical cannabis found in dispensaries. The plant appearance is frequently brittle, brown and full of stems.

The issue is simple as scientists becoming vocal and demanding better cannabis from the government, Sisley added.

While most federally-sanctioned plants are supposed to have a potency of 13 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound found in cannabis, most strains tested at less than 8 percent.

Last year, the government announced it would reduce research barriers and allow more opportunities for federally-approved research projects,  but Attorney General Jeff Sessions blocked the Obama administration’s initiative by ignoring research applications.