Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Harley Rouda (CA-48) and Senator Brian Schatz (HI), sent a bipartisan letter to Attorney General Barr urging the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to amend current policies to improve research on cannabis. The letter was also signed by Senators Cory Gardner (CO) and Kamala Harris (CA) as well as 17 additional Members of Congress.
Said Rouda, “Our nation’s cannabis research laws are archaic. Forty-seven states have legalized some form of cannabis consumption – we must ensure our federal agencies and other licensed institutions can comprehensively study the benefits and risks of cannabis products. I thank Senator Schatz, and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, for joining me to make this common-sense request. It’s time to bring our drug research policies into the 21st century.”
The National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration have acknowledged we need further research on cannabis to understand its potential medical benefits and risks. However, the DEA has registered a single entity to produce research-grade cannabis, limiting the diversity of products available to researchers.
This letter requests the DEA to amend its policies to allow for the procurement of cannabis-derived products from state-authorized dispensaries by federally licensed researchers. It also asks for clarification regarding hemp provisions included in the 2018 Farm Bill.
