United States: DANK Cannabis Research bill introduced in Congress

On Wednesday, members of Congress introduced a bill aimed at establishing a federal cannabis research program and authorizing universities to conduct studies on cannabis with federal grants.

The text is titled Act on the Development and Nationalization of Key Cannabis Research (Act on the Development and Nationalization of Cannabis Research) with the first four evocative initials (DANK, a term used to describe potent, sticky, and well-structured cannabis), though it is unclear whether this was intentional or not.

In any case, the measure requires National Institutes of Health (NIH) that they collaborate with other agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), to develop «a national cannabis research program that addresses key issues and gaps in the evidence base.».

This program must include six main research objectives. For example, agencies should prioritize studies on the safety and efficacy of cannabis in treating various diseases such as’epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, pain and nausea associated with chemotherapy, as well as the use of cannabis as alternatives to opioids.

Other items on the agenda include research on the effects of cannabis on «at-risk populations» such as children and pregnant women, the «non-therapeutic effects» of cannabis, the relationship between cannabis use and behavioral health, «clinically appropriate cannabis dosages and routes of administration,» and other public safety considerations related to potency, youth access, and abuse.

The introduction of this new legislation comes on the same week that the U.S. House of Representatives voted separately to approve another bipartisan bill on cannabis research that also aims to expedite and streamline the process of obtaining the necessary authorizations. This measure, which—unlike the DANK Act—would not allow researchers to study cannabis obtained from dispensaries, is expected to be taken up by the Senate shortly before potentially being sent to President Joe Biden’s desk.