The U.S. House of Representatives approved another sweeping marijuana bill just days after an unprecedented vote to remove it from the nation’s list of controlled substances.
The latest measure aims to significantly expand the ability to study cannabis for medical purposes, according to Marijuana Business Daily. Unlike the MORE Act, which passed the Democratically controlled House largely along party lines, the Medical Marijuana Research Act enjoyed bipartisan support and advanced without opposition.
Both bills, however, are considered unlikely to move forward in the Republican-controlled Senate.
The medical marijuana research measure, MBD reports, would ease the registration process for marijuana-related research projects, require the Drug Enforcement Agency to approve applications “in a timely fashion,” provide researchers with more access to cannabis for approved studies, and allow private marijuana production and distribution for research purposes.
Currently, the University of Mississippi houses the only federal facility that produces marijuana for research studies.
