President Biden to Sign Marijuana Research Bill

On Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, the U.S. Senate approved a bipartisan cannabis research bill titled: The Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act. President Biden will sign this bill once it hits his desk.

Senator Chuck Schumer stated that this research bill will “eliminate the red tape that hinders cannabis research, opening the door for new innovative treatments derived from cannabis.” Senator Dianne Feinstein went on to say there is “substantial evidence that marijuana-derived medications can and are providing major health benefits.”

Here are a few key points from the research bill:

• Encourages the Food and Drug Administration to develop cannabis-derived medications.
• Allows accredited medical/osteopathic schools, practitioners, research institutions and manufacturers with Schedule I registration to cultivate their own cannabis for research.
• Authorized the Drug Enforcement Administration to regulate the manufacturers of marijuana-derived medications approved by the FDA.
• Requires the Department of Health and Human Services to study the health benefits and risks of marijuana.
• Protects state-licensed physicians from violating the Controlled Substances Act by discussing the risks and benefits of marijuana and cannabis-derived products with patients.

If you have any questions about how this development could affect you, please contact HAT LAW’s Medical Cannabis Legal Team.

Julie Mitchell, J.D., L.L.M., jmitchell@hatlawfirm.com, 601-707-4039