The Department of Justice is moving to roll back cannabis research and hemp testing pending rules adopted under former President Joe Biden, while a Republican-led committee is seeking to block the Trump-backed push to reschedule cannabis, highlighting fractures within the GOP over cannabis reform.
Attorney General Pam Bondi withdrew 54 proposed cannabis rules in a notice dated September 8 and published September 11, including regulations on the expansion of medical marijuana and cannabidiol (CBD) research and analytical testing for hemp.
The Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act, signed into law on December 2, 2022, aimed to simplify the process for scientists to study marijuana for medical purposes. Previously, researchers faced strict regulations that could delay their work.
However, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), part of the DOJ, has now proposed modifications to regulations related to the new application process and submission of supporting materials electronically for those manufacturing marijuana or CBD for medical research, but it’s unclear how the DEA will handle cannabis research going forward.
The DOJ also proposed to withdraw rules on analytical testing for hemp, which would exempt laboratories from DEA registration requirements if they perform chemical analyses solely on hemp samples produced under an approved USDA Hemp Production Plan.
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