President Biden Signs Medical Cannabis Research Bill
President Biden has signed a bill that will permit more medical cannabis research in the US.
Biden signed the bill on Friday, December 5, becoming the first US president to approve a cannabis-specific piece of legislation.
The first successful cannabis bill
The Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act was first passed by the US House of Representatives in July. It then proceeded to the Senate, which passed it last month on November 16.
The bill directs the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to help register practitioners to conduct cannabis research, and manufacturers to supply cannabis for the research.
The bill also:
- Requires the DEA to assess whether there is an adequate and uninterrupted supply of cannabis for research purposes.
- Allows physicians to discuss the potential harms and benefits of cannabis and its derivatives (including CBD) with patients.
- Mandates the Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institutes of Health to report on the therapeutic potential of cannabis for various health conditions as well as the impact on adolescent brains and on the ability to operate a motor vehicle.
“I’m very pleased President Biden has signed into law our legislation to cut red tape around the marijuana research process,” Dianne Feinstein, one of three senators who introduced the bill into the Senate, tweeted on Friday, December 2.
“After years of negotiation, we’re finally enacting this bill that will result in critical research that could help millions.”
