Congress finally sends the marijuana research bill to Biden’s desk

After a seven-month delay caused by Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), the Cannabidiol and Marijuana Research Expansion Act has finally been sent to President Joe Biden’s desk for signature.

The bill seeks to reduce the burden of studying cannabis. Currently, marijuana’s federal Schedule I status makes it extremely difficult for researchers to legally obtain and study the plant.

If you thought this law was already passed, you are not alone. The House of Representatives and Senate approved the measure last spring. Leafly’s David Downs reported on this action on April 4, 2022. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has put it on the fast track for approval, which requires approval from both majority and minority party leaders. But Cornyn, a Texas Republican, disagreed with the bill’s fast-pass status.

In September, Marijuana Moment’s Kyle Jaeger reported that Cornyn had no objection to the substance of the bill. It’s just that the Texas senator was frustrated that the Senate hadn’t passed more of his own bills and decided to express that anger by blocking all House bills that were put on similar unanimous lanes of approval in the Senate.

Senator Cornyn removed his objection earlier this week after the midterm elections.

Physicians have reported for decades that marijuana’s state Schedule I status – which designates it as a drug as dangerous as heroin – blocks basic drug trials. A generation of patients have attempted these experiments on themselves. (Ninety-two percent of medicinal cannabis users reported effectiveness in a 2014 government survey.)

Currently, 38 states have legalized cannabis medicinally. Of those states, 21 have legalized it for all adults. Still, marijuana remains a state Schedule I substance.

The new law — sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and eight other senators — does not change weed’s Schedule I status. But it forces the federal government to allow more researchers to grow medicinal cannabis, allows doctors to talk about marijuana without fear of losing their medical license, and other modest improvements.