Report: Federal Government Should Play Larger Role in Cannabis Reforms

A recent report sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) says the federal government should play a larger role in cannabis policy. The report, Cannabis Policy Impacts Public Health and Health Equity, appeared in the 2024 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine edition.

Dr. Steven Teutsch of the University of Southern California, the committee chair behind the report, told the Associated Press, “We’d like the federal government to step up to provide some leadership in this area.”

“While ongoing research is crucial, applying the core public health functions — assessment, policy development, and assurance — now will lead to better and more consistent policies for cannabis legalization and improved public health and health equity.” — Excerpt from the report

The report recommends that federal agencies like the NIH and CDC support a cannabis research agenda, monitor state legalization experiments, and create regulatory best practices with an emphasis on reducing youth access. For Congress, the report recommends closing the Farm Bill loophole which allows intoxicating, hemp-derived THC products at the federal level, and removing federal barriers to cannabis research. For jurisdictions with state-level cannabis reforms, the report recommends cannabis retail worker training and certification requirements, the automatic expunging of low-level cannabis offenses, and adopting and enforcing the quality standards for medicines and dietary supplements set by the U.S. Pharmacopeia.

Cannabis is still strictly prohibited under federal law but the Biden Administration announced plans in May to move cannabis to Schedule III, which would keep cannabis federally illegal but at a less-restricted level. The DEA has scheduled a December 2 hearing for expert testimony on the issue.