The Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act is an
Act of Congress
An Act of Congress is a statute enacted by the United States Congress. Acts may apply only to individual entities (called Public and private bills, private laws), or to the general public (Public and private bills, public laws). For a Bill (law) ...
allowing medical research on
cannabis
''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: ''Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternatively ...
. The act is "the first standalone marijuana-related bill approved by both chambers of the United States Congress".
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History
The bill was introduced in the Senate February 4, 2021 by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D) of California, Brian Schatz (D) of Hawaii, and Chuck Grassley (R) of Iowa as S.253; it was forwarded unanimously by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary and passed by Senate unanimously on March 24, 2022.Earl Blumenauer
Earl Francis Blumenauer ( ; born August 16, 1948) is an American lawyer, author, and politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 1996. The district includes most of Portland east of the Willamette River.
A member of the Democrat ...
of Oregon was the lead sponsor. It was passed by House under suspension of the rules 395-25 five days later.[ On November 16, 2022, the Senate passed the House bill by voice vote and sent it to the President to be signed into law.]
Provisions
The act requires the Drug Enforcement Administration
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA; ) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating drug trafficking and distribution within th ...
to register researchers and suppliers of cannabis for medical research in a timely manner, who will then be able to legally manufacture, distribute, dispense and possess the substance. It also creates a mechanism for FDA approval of drugs derived from the cannabis plant and " otects doctors who may now discuss the harms and benefits of using cannabis and cannabis derivatives." It also requires the Department of Health and Human Services to investigate the medical utility of cannabis and barriers that exist to conducting research, and requires the Attorney General to conduct an annual review to ensure that cannabis is being adequately produced for research purposes.
See also
*List of 2022 United States cannabis reform proposals
The year 2022 began with several United States cannabis reform proposals pre-filed in 2021 for the upcoming year's legislative session. Among the remaining prohibitionist states, legalization of adult use in Delaware and Oklahoma was considered mo ...
*Cannabis policy of the Joe Biden administration
U.S. President Joe Biden stated in February 2021 that his administration will pursue cannabis decriminalization as well as seek expungements for people with prior cannabis convictions. It can still be found on his campaign website under sente ...
Notes
References
Further reading
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External links
Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion ActPDFdetails
as enacted in the US Statutes at Large
H.R.8454 - Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act
on Congress.gov
{{Cannabis in the United States
2022 cannabis law reform
Acts of the 117th United States Congress
United States federal controlled substances legislation