Bill Would Make it Easier for Researchers to Study Medical Effectiveness of Marijuana

A bill introduced in the U.S. Senate by a bipartisan group of legislators would make it easier for researchers to study the medical effectiveness and safety of marijuana. The bill, the Marijuana Effective Drug Studies (MEDS) Act, would not legalize recreational or medical marijuana, according to The Hill.

Similar legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House, according to a news release from the office of Republican Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah, a co-sponsor of the Senate bill.

“While many patients have high hopes for the medical benefits of marijuana, further clinical research is needed to inform the decisions of policymakers regarding access to marijuana,” Senator Hatch said. He noted the bill makes targeted changes to the Controlled Substances Act to address barriers that impede medical researchers who are requesting approval of marijuana research protocols or seeking plant strains for clinical studies.

“This joint legislative effort between the House and Senate will eliminate redundancies in the regulatory process and enable needed research to better understand the potential medical uses of marijuana,” Hatch added.

The MEDS Act is supported by a number of groups, including the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Society of Addiction Medicine and Smart Approaches to Marijuana.

The legislation would make it easier to obtain Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) approval to conduct research, and enable researchers to amend and supplement research proposals without reapplying for approval. According to Senator Hatch, under the current law, researchers who want to conduct marijuana studies must deal with multiple agencies in a complex application process that can take a year or more. If they make any changes to their proposal, they must start from scratch.

The measure would also eliminate the DEA requirement that marijuana be kept in bolted safes, and direct the agency to license additional marijuana for the purpose of scientific research and drug development.