,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #dcbb ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,september #ab1 #bjai,ms4 ,shalala 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,gaetz1 and ,ms4 ,lee of ,california7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce1 and in addition to the ,committee on the ,judiciary1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,a ,,bill ,to promote cannabis research1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,expanding ,cannabis ,research and ,information ,act4 #b4 ,cannabis research at the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services 7a7 ,national cannabis research agenda ,part ,b of title ,,iv of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bhd et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #dji,k4 ,national cannabis research agenda ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of the ,expanding ,cannabis ,research and ,information ,act1 the ,director of ,,nih1 in collaboration with the ,director of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention and the ,assistant ,secretary for ,mental ,health and ,substance ,use1 shall develop a national cannabis research agenda that addresses key questions and gaps in evidence1 including with respect to each of the following3 7#a7 ,the efficacy of cannabis in providing therapeutic benefits for certain priority diseases or conditions1 which may include epilepsy1 multiple sclerosis-related spasticity1 chemotherapy-induced pain and discomfort1 using cannabis as an alternative to opioid analgesics for acute or chronic pain1 sleep apnea1 ,tourette syndrome1 anxiety1 post-traumatic stress disorder1 and any other disease or condition determined to be appropriate and of importance by the ,director4 7#b7 ,the effect of cannabis on at-risk populations1 including children1 older individuals1 and pregnant or breast-feeding women4 7#c7 ,the long-term effects of cannabis use1 including dose-response relationship and the connection between cannabis use and behavioral health4 7#d7 ,the clinically appropriate modes of delivery of cannabis4 7#e7 ,public safety considerations related to cannabis1 including-- 7,a7 variation in the potency of cannabis products2 7,b7 youth access to and use of cannabis1 including marketing1 packaging1 edible formulations1 and flavor options that target youth2 7,c7 risk factors for cannabis misuse2 7,d7 impaired driving related to cannabis use2 and 7,e7 accidental ingestion of cannabis4 4 7b7 ,surveillance activities ,part ,a of title ,,iii of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bda et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #caj;,b4 ,surveillance activities on cannabis use 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary1 acting through the ,director of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention1 in collaboration with the ,assistant ,secretary for ,mental ,health and ,substance ,use1 the ,administrator of the ,centers for ,medicare ,medicaid ,services1 and the ,director of the ,agency for ,healthcare ,research and ,quality1 shall carry out surveillance activities to collect population-wide data on cannabis use4 7b7 ,permissible activities 7#a7 ,in general ,in carrying out activities under this section1 the ,secretary may collect1 as appropriate1 with respect to cannabis use-- 7,a7 data on-- 7i7 health outcomes1 including biological data2 7ii7 health care utilization1 which shall include hospitalizations and utilization of emergency departments related to consumption of cannabis1 including among youth2 7iii7 demographic factors associated with cannabis use2 7iv7 the variety of products and delivery modes used2 and 7v7 other relevant health information to improve the understanding of cannabis use in all age groups and sub-populations2 and 7,b7 data through public health surveillance systems1 surveys1 questionnaires1 and databases of health care records1 including1 as appropriate1 the ,behavioral ,risk ,factor ,surveillance ,system1 the ,youth ,risk ,behavioral ,surveillance ,system1 the ,monitoring the ,future health survey1 the ,national ,survey on ,drug ,use and ,health1 or the ,healthcare ,cost and ,utilization ,project 7or any successor surveys74 7#b7 ,privacy ,any data collected under paragraph 7#a7 shall be collected in manner that protects personal privacy to the extent1 at a minimum1 that is required under applicable ,federal and ,state law4 4 #c4 ,rescheduling of marihuana 7a7 ,in general ,subsection 7c7 of schedule ,i of section #bjb7;c7 of the ,controlled ,substances ,act 7#ba ,u4,s4,c4 #hab7;c77 is amended by striking paragraph 7#aj74 7b7 ,schedule ,,iii ,schedule ,,iii of section #bjb7;c7 of the ,controlled ,substances ,act 7#ba ,u4,s4,c4 #hab7;c77 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7f7 ,marihuana4 4 #d4 ,centers of excellence in cannabis research 7a7 ,in general ,part ,b of title ,,iv of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bhd et seq471 as amended by section #b7;a71 is further amended by adding at the end the following3 #dji,l4 ,centers of excellence in cannabis research 7a7 ,designation 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,director of ,,nih shall designate institutions of higher education as ,centers of ,excellence in ,cannabis ,research for the purpose of interdisciplinary research related to cannabis and other biomedical1 behavioral1 and social issues related to cannabis4 ,no institution of higher education may be designated as a ,center unless an application therefor has been submitted to1 and approved by1 the ,director of ,,nih4 ,such an application shall be submitted in such manner and contain such information as the ,director of ,,nih may reasonably require4 ,the ,director of ,,nih may not approve such an application unless-- 7,a7 the application contains or is supported by reasonable assurances that-- 7i7 at least #a individual employed by the applicant-- 7,i7 is registered under section #cjc7;f7 of the ,controlled ,substances ,act to conduct research with controlled substances in schedule ,,iii of section #bjb7;c7 of that ,act2 and 7,,ii7 is an active participant in the cannabis research activities of the applicant2 7ii7 the applicant has not had a registration to conduct research with controlled substances under section #cjc of the ,controlled ,substances ,act denied1 revoked1 or suspended under section #cjd of that ,act2 7iii7 the applicant has the experience1 or capability1 to conduct1 through biomedical1 behavioral1 social1 and related disciplines1 long-term research on cannabis and to provide coordination of such research among such disciplines2 7iv7 the applicant has available to it sufficient personnel and facilities 7including laboratory1 reference1 storage1 security1 and data analysis facilities7 to carry out the research plan required under subparagraph 7,b72 and 7v7 the applicant has the capacity to conduct academic courses and train students and professionals on appropriate research and knowledge of cannabis2 and 7,b7 the application contains a detailed #e-year plan for research relating to cannabis4 7#b7 ,geographic representation ,the ,director of ,,nih shall ensure geographic representation across the ,united ,states in designating institutions of higher education as ,centers of ,excellence in ,cannabis ,research4 7#c7 ,term of designation ,a designation under this section shall be for a period of #e years4 ,an institution of higher education may reapply in accordance with the requirements under paragraph 7#a7 for a subsequent designation under this section4 7b7 ,cannabis research 7#a7 ,grants or cooperative agreements 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,director of ,,nih may make grants to1 or enter into cooperative agreements with1 ,centers that have been designated under this section to expand the current and ongoing interdisciplinary research and clinical trials relating to cannabis research4 7,b7 ,use of funds ,amounts made available under a grant or cooperative agreement under subparagraph 7,a7 may be used to address key questions and gaps in evidence addressed by the national cannabis research agenda described in paragraphs 7#a7 through 7#e7 of section #dji,k4 7#b7 ,research results ,the ,director of ,,nih shall promptly disseminate research results under this subsection to relevant governmental1 academic1 and research entities4 7c7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,cannabis ,the term cannabis has the meaning given the term marihuana in section #ajb of the ,controlled ,substances ,act4 7#b7 ,institution of higher education ,the term institution of higher education has the meaning given the term in section #aja7;a7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife4 4 7b7 ,registration requirements ,section #cjc7;f7 of the ,controlled ,substances ,act 7#ba ,u4,s4,c4 #hbc7;f77 is amended by adding after the period at the end the following3 ,the ,attorney ,general shall register under this part practitioners at ,centers of ,excellence in ,cannabis ,research designated under section #dji,l of the ,public ,health ,service ,act to conduct research with marihuana4 ,no separate registration shall be required for each individual employed by a ,center of ,excellence in ,cannabis ,research who is conducting research described in subsection 7a77#a7 of that section and in accordance with applicable ,state and local laws1 nor shall separate registrations be required for distinct research activities1 including research activities related to distinct constituent compounds of marihuana or amended protocols4 ,the registration shall expire on the date on which the entity is no longer designated as such a ,center of ,excellence in ,cannabis ,research under that section4 ,a ,center of ,excellence in ,cannabis ,research registered under this part may cultivate marihuana1 including any constituent component of marihuana1 to conduct research under this part if the ,attorney ,general has determined that the research to be conducted is for legitimate scientific research and is consistent with effective controls against diversion4 ,a ,center of ,excellence in ,cannabis ,research may contract with such additional manufacturers of marihuana registered under this section to meet the needs of the ,center of ,excellence in ,cannabis ,research to the maximum extent permissible under international treaties to which the ,united ,states is a signatory and which govern marihuana4 ,before entering into such contract1 the ,center of ,excellence in ,cannabis ,research shall submit to the ,attorney ,general a request to enter into the contract that includes information to demonstrate the experience or capability of the contractor to conduct such cultivation and assurances that the contractor will comply with the provisions of this ,act4 ,not later than #fj days after the date on which the request is submitted1 the request shall be deemed to be approved by the ,attorney ,general1 unless the ,attorney ,general determines that the granting of such request is inconsistent with the public interest4 ,a ,center of ,excellence in ,cannabis ,research registered under this section may purchase or acquire commercially available marihuana for the purpose of research described in section #dji,l7a77#a7 of the ,public ,health ,service ,act in accordance with the law of the ,state in which the transaction occurs4 ,no ,federal funds may be used by the ,center of ,excellence in ,cannabis ,research for such purchase or acquisition44