Last Wednesday, Congress passed the Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act which will see to it that barriers to medical cannabis research are significantly reduced. The bill, which was passed by the house in July will be heading to president Biden’s desk for approval before it becomes law. According to a White House spokesperson who spoke with Marijuana Moment, the president will sign the bipartisan marijuana research bill.
The marijuana research bill was passed through a unanimous vote. It received support from both senator Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and senator Dianne Feinstein, D-California who have been considered main obstacles to marijuana reform for many years.
Here are a few things to know about this new bill.
- This is the first time that a bill dedicated solely to marijuana has passed congress
- It will allow doctors to discuss the benefits and potential harms of medical cannabis
- It directs the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to investigate the therapeutic potential of cannabis as well as its effects on the adolescent brain
- It allows research institutions to cultivate, process, and distribute cannabis for research purposes
- It requires the DEA to monitor and ensure that there is adequate supply for research purposes
Previously, the University of Mississippi was the only institution that had been granted permission to cultivate cannabis for research. This new cannabis research bill, which was passed by the house of representatives in July, is headed to the president’s desk.
