Federal Bill Would Create Cannabis Research Protections
A new federal proposal, the Higher Education Marijuana Research Act, would create protections for academics and universities involved in studying cannabis and remove barriers to cannabis research.
The bill was introduced on Monday, April 20, by two co-chairs of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Dina Titus (D-NV).
The proposal would require the DEA to report on the current number and status of cannabis research licenses and to establish an Office of University Relations to support university researchers in obtaining said licenses. Additionally, higher education institutions involved in cannabis research would be allowed to obtain cannabis products from state or tribal governments — currently, federally approved cannabis research requires products to be sourced only from entities licensed by the DEA.
Rep. Omar said the proposal “removes outdated federal barriers that have long prevented universities from conducting critical cannabis research.”
“This legislation protects universities and researchers while lifting barriers so we can make better public health decisions.” — Omar, in a press release
“The legal, responsible use of cannabis has been a major economic driver in Nevada and across the country and deserves further research,” Rep. Titus said in a statement.
The proposal is endorsed by advocacy groups, including the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA), the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), and the UNLV Cannabis Policy Institute.
Morgan Fox, the political director for NORML, said the legislation is “more necessary than ever,” even as adult-use cannabis reforms continue to take root across the U.S.
“Even if cannabis is federally reclassified in the near future, significant barriers will remain for scientists hoping to add to the existing body of research, especially when it comes to conducting clinical trials on health effects and studying the state-regulated products that cannabis consumers and patients are actually using,” Fox said.