The Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) last week canceled a nearly $700 million federal research grant to study cannabis use by LGBTQ+ women, NewsNation reports.
The grant was awarded to Ohio State University (OSU) professor Dr. Christina Dyar to investigate the link between LGBTQ+ women and cannabis use disorder, which, according to its medical definition, is a substance use disorder where an individual continues to use cannabis despite negative impacts on their life and health. The study aimed to investigate risk factors for cannabis use disorder between heterosexual women and lesbian, bisexual, and/or queer women — a community that statistically experiences more health disparities and is typically underrepresented in medical research.
The project received its first round of funding totaling $715,244 in 2023, and the grant was renewed in April 2024 with another $699,139. Dyar has published two journal articles under the grants so far.
DOGE listed the cannabis study in a social media post on X alongside several other research projects that were recently canceled by the NIH.
An Ohio State spokesperson confirmed the study’s cancellation but offered no further comment, the report said.
