The Act would jumpstart cannabis science research, as well as the related drug development, as one of the biggest changes would instituting deadlines in which regulatory agencies can approve scientists’ applications for clinical trials.
The legislation would also require that the U.S. Attorney General actively solicit applications from the science community for the research and trials. It would also stipulate that a timeline be instituted for the application process.
Licensed scientists would now have access to cannabis flower and other products that they have long been denied for research, as long as the flower and products are legally produced according to their respective state guidelines. This would be a considerable catalyst in weed science on the university level in legal cannabis states.
The bill, if passed, would also require agencies like the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services to report on the therapeutic benefits of CBD and THC in serious health conditions.
The FDA would be permitted to analyze CBD and medical THC containing products, and publish conclusions available to the public so that potential buyers can make more informed purchasing decisions.
The biggest takeaway from this pending legislation, if passed, is not only would it apply deadlines to approving agencies, but it would do more to raise the profile of cannabis research overall.
The Act would help ease and eventually eliminate the bias that has long been applied to studies in weed science. This lack of bias would help to further legitimize the plant’s image overall, and spawn all sorts of new business opportunities, many of which would be in areas that no one can yet predict.
Sources: Congress.gov, hhs.gov, MJBizDaily