Bipartisan Bill to Improve Medical Marijuana Research Approved

The House Judiciary Committee approved by voice vote the Medical Cannabis Research Act of 2018 (H.R. 5634) last week. This bipartisan bill is designed to facilitate and encourage federally approved clinical trials testing the potential medicinal effect of chemicals found in marijuana plants.

The Medical Cannabis Research Act increases the number of federally approved manufacturers of research-grade marijuana from one to three, and would set strict criteria for those manufacturers to obtain and renew their registrations. Currently, only the University of Mississippi is permitted to grow research-grade marijuana.

By providing both a sufficient supply of research-grade product and a sufficient supply of people to participate, this bill will help to produce scientific data about whether or not the chemicals in marijuana can be medically helpful.