[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 114 (Thursday, July 14, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S5169]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Leahy, and Mr. 
        Tillis):
  S. 3269. A bill to require the Attorney General to make a 
determination as to whether cannabidiol should be a controlled 
substance and listed in a schedule under the Controlled Substances Act 
and to expand research on the potential medical benefits of cannabidiol 
and other marijuana components; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the 
Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act of 2016, with my Judiciary Committee 
colleagues, Senators Grassley, Leahy, and Tillis.
  This narrowly focused legislation responsibly cuts the red tape that 
hinders marijuana research, paving the way for important studies to 
determine if cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive component of marijuana 
often referred to as CBD, can be a safe and effective medication for 
serious illnesses, such as intractable epilepsy.
  It does this while maintaining safeguards to protect against illegal 
diversion.
  First, the bill directs the Departments of Justice and Health and 
Human Services to complete a scientific and medical evaluation of CBD 
within one year.
  Based on this evaluation, the legislation directs the Department of 
Justice to make a scheduling recommendation for CBD that is independent 
of marijuana. This has never been done before.
  Second, without sacrificing appropriate oversight, it streamlines the 
regulatory process for marijuana research.
  In particular, it improves regulations dealing with changes to 
approved quantities of marijuana needed for research and approved 
research protocols.
  It also expedites the Drug Enforcement Administration registration 
process for researching CBD and marijuana.
  Third, this legislation seeks to increase medical research on CBD, 
while simultaneously reducing the stigma associated with conducting 
research on a Schedule I drug.
  It does so by explicitly authorizing medical and osteopathic schools, 
research universities, and pharmaceutical companies to use a Schedule 
II Drug Enforcement Administration registration to conduct authorized 
medical research on CBD.
  Given that the security requirements for conducting research on 
Schedule I and II drugs are nearly identical, this change would not 
jeopardize important safeguards against illegal diversion.
  Fourth, the bill allows medical schools, research institutions, and 
pharmaceutical companies to produce the marijuana they need for 
authorized medical research. This will ensure that researchers have 
access to the material they need to develop proven, effective 
medicines.
  Finally, the bill allows parents who have children with intractable 
epilepsy, as well as adults with intractable epilepsy, to possess and 
transport cannabidiol or other non-psychoactive components of marijuana 
used to treat this disease while research is ongoing.
  To do so, parents and adults must be able to provide documentation 
that they or their child have been treated by a board-certified 
neurologist for at least 6 months, and have certifications from their 
neurologist that other treatment options have been exhausted, and that 
the potential benefits outweigh the harms of using these non-
psychoactive components of marijuana.
  The Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act will responsibly reduce 
barriers and spur additional research to ensure that CBD and other 
marijuana-derived medications are based on the most up to date 
scientific evidence.
  I believe this bill is critical to help families across the country 
as they seek safe, effective medicines for serious illnesses, and I 
hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this important 
legislation.
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