Bill Overview
Title: Medical Cannabis Research Act of 2022
Description: This bill establishes a new, separate registration process for manufacturers of cannabis for research. As a part of this process, the Drug Enforcement Administration must annually assess whether there is an adequate and uninterrupted supply of research cannabis and register additional manufacturers. The bill also authorizes health care providers of the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide information to veterans regarding participation in federally approved cannabis clinical trials.
Sponsors: Rep. Gaetz, Matt [R-FL-1]
Target Audience
Population: People involved in and impacted by medical cannabis research
Estimated Size: 20000000
- The bill creates a new process for manufacturers of cannabis for research, potentially affecting those involved in scientific and medical cannabis research.
- With the DEA's role in assessing cannabis supply, employees and stakeholders of the Drug Enforcement Administration are directly involved.
- Health care providers, specifically of the Department of Veterans Affairs, will now be able to share trial information, impacting their scope of practice and interactions with patients.
Reasoning
- The budget constraints suggest a relatively focused scope on the impacted populations, despite the large number of veterans and researchers involved nationwide.
- Given the policy focus on research, mainly smaller segments of the population will experience a direct impact. Researchers and veterans may notice changes to the availability and usage of medical cannabis in clinical settings.
- The wellbeing impact on general population might be negligible as the policy does not advocate for widespread use, but focuses on research and trial participation.
Simulated Interviews
cannabis researcher (California)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The new policy would streamline the registration process, making it easier to access cannabis for research without unnecessary delays.
- Hopefully, this leads to more meaningful and timely studies on cannabis health benefits.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
veteran (Texas)
Age: 58 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy will provide me with more legitimate options to explore cannabis safely through clinical trials.
- It's a relief to have my VA healthcare provider discuss cannabis trials openly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
clinical trial coordinator (Colorado)
Age: 33 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy could increase my workload with more trials, but it's rewarding to see advancements in the field.
- Smoother processes mean better focus on research outcomes rather than logistics.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
DEA agent (New York)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy facilitates research but increases the administrative aspect of my job without boosting enforcement clarity.
- I hope it doesn't compromise the legal oversight of cannabis usage.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
veteran healthcare provider (Illinois)
Age: 41 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Being able to guide patients towards trials gives me another option to help them manage pain effectively.
- I expect some pushback initially but ultimately it's for the patients' best.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
retired veteran (Florida)
Age: 65 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I wish I had this information access sooner; it would have helped me choose better treatment options.
- This allows me to make more informed decisions about participating in trials.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
cannabis grower (Oregon)
Age: 37 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This act means I might see more demand which could help my business grow.
- I'm worried about how the DEA will regulate the supply without unnecessary restrictions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
cannabis activist (Washington)
Age: 48 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is a positive step towards a scientifically-backed usage of cannabis in medicine.
- It facilitates open conversations about medical cannabis without stigma.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
veteran (Nevada)
Age: 54 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I see potential in this policy for better PTSD treatments through well-conducted trials.
- Hopefully, it bridges the gap between veterans and effective, safe treatments.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 3 |
medical researcher (Massachusetts)
Age: 31 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- A dedicated process will increase the pace of cannabis-related discoveries and validations scientifically.
- The clarity in supply for research helps direct focus towards valuable outcomes, not red tape.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $15000000 (Low: $12000000, High: $18000000)
Year 2: $15000000 (Low: $12000000, High: $18000000)
Year 3: $16000000 (Low: $13000000, High: $19000000)
Year 5: $16000000 (Low: $13000000, High: $19000000)
Year 10: $17000000 (Low: $14000000, High: $20000000)
Year 100: $20000000 (Low: $17000000, High: $23000000)
Key Considerations
- Impact on DEA operations and their resources for handling cannabis research registrations.
- Potential growth in cannabis research could boost the medical industry related to cannabis solutions, increasing economic activity and potentially GDP.
- Training requirements and costs for VA healthcare providers to effectively disseminate clinical trial information.