Joe Biden signs cannabis research bill into law

U.S. President Joe Biden has officially signed a bill on cannabis research. He has thus made history by enacting the first standalone federal law on cannabis reform in the United States.

The bill was passed by the House of Representatives in July and by the Senate last month. A White House spokesperson had confirmed to Marijuana Moment that the president intended to sign it. That's what he did on Friday.

The U.S. Attorney General now has 60 days to either approve the request or request additional information before the bill becomes law.

Among its many provisions, the bill establishes a more efficient pathway for researchers who are asking for larger quantities of cannabis.

The U.S. president remains opposed to the federal legalization of cannabis, but he campaigned on a number of reforms more modest measures related to cannabis, including the promotion of research, decriminalization, and the reclassification of cannabis under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

In October, Joe Biden has also granted mass pardons to Americans who committed federal cannabis possession offenses, and ordered an administrative review of cannabis classification. The White House recently listed these actions among the President's «major accomplishments».

The four co-chairs of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus – Democrats Earl Blumenauer and Barbara Lee and Republicans Dave Joyce and Brian Mast – issued a joint statement after the president signed the bill:

«For decades, the federal government has stood in the way of science and progress by adopting a misguided and discriminatory approach to cannabis. Today marks a monumental step toward reforming our federal cannabis laws,» they said. «The Act to Expand Research on Medical Cannabis and Cannabidiol will facilitate the study of the impacts and potential of cannabis.».

«Research is essential for determining the direction of cannabis policy. Research is essential for better understanding the therapeutic benefits of cannabis »that have the potential to help millions of Americans struggling with chronic pain, PTSD, multiple sclerosis, anxiety disorders, and more."

«We welcome the enactment of this essential and long-awaited legislation, and we know there is still much work to be done to address the ongoing damage caused by the the failed war on drugs. Our caucus will continue to work to reimagine the federal government’s approach to cannabis and enact further reforms. In the coming weeks, we are committed to passing additional bipartisan, common-sense proposals such as the SAFE banking package, the Veterans Equal Access Act, the PREPARE Act, and the Medical Cannabis Safety Net Act for Veterans.»