New Registration Process for Marijuana-Based Drug Development

President Biden has signed into law a bill that creates a new registration process for carrying out marijuana-related research and for facilitating the development and manufacturing of marijuana-based drugs.

The law directs the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to register both the practitioners conducting the research and the manufacturers supplying the marijuana.

The law also enables certain registered entities, such as universities, health practitioners and drugmakers to manufacture and distribute marijuana or cannabidiol (CBD) for medical research.

In addition, the legislation requires that HHS, the National Institutes of Health, and any relevant federal agencies, provide reporting on marijuana’s therapeutic potential for a variety of conditions, such as epilepsy.