I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4825 
To improve medical research on marijuana. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 18, 2018 
Mr. BISHOP of Utah (for himself, Mr. CURTIS, Mr. STEWART, Mrs. LOVE, Mr. 
RASKIN, Ms. NORTON, Mr. POLIS, and Mr. BLUMENAUER) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a pe-
riod to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for con-
sideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To improve medical research on marijuana. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Marijuana Effective 
Drug Studies Act of 2018’’ or the ‘‘MEDS Act’’. 
SEC. 2. MARIJUANA RESEARCH. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 303(f) of the Controlled 
Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 823(f)) is amended— 
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(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through 
(5) as subparagraphs (A) through (E), respectively; 
(2) by striking ‘‘(f) The Attorney General’’ and 
inserting ‘‘(f)(1) The Attorney General’’; 
(3) by striking ‘‘Registration applications’’ and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(2) Registration applications’’; 
(4) in paragraph (2), as so designated, by strik-
ing ‘‘schedule I’’ each place that term appears and 
inserting ‘‘schedule I, except marijuana,’’; 
(5) by striking ‘‘Article 7’’ and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(4) Article 7’’; and 
(6) by inserting before paragraph (4), as so 
designated, the following: 
‘‘(3)(A) The Attorney General shall register a practi-
tioner to conduct research with marijuana if— 
‘‘(i) the applicant is authorized to dispense, or 
conduct research with respect to, controlled sub-
stances in schedules II, III, IV, and V under the 
laws of the State in which the applicant practices; 
‘‘(ii) the applicant’s research protocol— 
‘‘(I) has been reviewed and allowed by— 
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‘‘(aa) the Secretary under section 
505(i) of the Federal Food, Drug, and 
Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 355(i)); or 
‘‘(bb) the National Institutes of 
Health or another Federal agency that 
funds scientific research; or 
‘‘(II) in the case of nonhuman research 
that is not federally funded, has been volun-
tarily submitted by the applicant to, and ap-
proved by, the National Institutes of Health; 
and 
‘‘(iii) the applicant has demonstrated that there 
are effective procedures in place to adequately safe-
guard against diversion of the marijuana from legiti-
mate medical or scientific use, in accordance with 
subparagraph (E). 
‘‘(B) The Attorney General shall grant an application 
for registration under this paragraph unless the Attorney 
General determines that the issuance of the registration 
would be inconsistent with the public interest. In deter-
mining the public interest, the following factors shall be 
considered: 
‘‘(i) The applicant’s experience in dispensing, or 
conducting research with respect to, controlled sub-
stances. 
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‘‘(ii) The applicant’s conviction record under 
Federal or State laws relating to the manufacture, 
distribution, or dispensing of controlled substances. 
‘‘(iii) Compliance with applicable State, Fed-
eral, or local laws relating to controlled substances. 
‘‘(iv) Such other conduct by the applicant that 
may threaten the public health and safety. 
‘‘(C) Not later than 90 days after the date of enact-
ment of this paragraph, for purposes of subparagraph 
(A)(ii)(II), the National Institutes of Health shall estab-
lish a process that— 
‘‘(i) allows a researcher to voluntarily submit 
the research protocol of the researcher for review 
and approval; and 
‘‘(ii) provides a researcher described in clause 
(i) with a decision not later than 30 days after the 
date on which the research protocol is submitted. 
‘‘(D)(i) Not later than 60 days after the date on 
which the Attorney General receives a complete applica-
tion for registration under this paragraph, the Attorney 
General shall— 
‘‘(I) approve the application; or 
‘‘(II) serve an order to show cause upon the ap-
plicant in accordance with section 304(c). 
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‘‘(ii) For purposes of clause (i), an application shall 
be deemed complete when the applicant has submitted 
documentation showing that the requirements under sub-
paragraph (A) are satisfied. 
‘‘(E)(i) A researcher registered under this paragraph 
shall store marijuana to be used in research in a securely 
locked, substantially constructed cabinet. 
‘‘(ii) Any other security measures required by the At-
torney General under this paragraph to safeguard against 
diversion shall be consistent with those required for practi-
tioners conducting research on other controlled substances 
in schedules I and II that have a similar risk of diversion 
and abuse. 
‘‘(F)(i) If the Attorney General grants an application 
for registration under this paragraph, the applicant may 
amend or supplement the research protocol without re-
applying if the applicant does not— 
‘‘(I) change the type of drug, the source of the 
drug, or the conditions under which the drug is 
stored, tracked, or administered; or 
‘‘(II) otherwise increase the risk of diversion. 
‘‘(ii) If an applicant amends or supplements the re-
search protocol under clause (i), the applicant shall, in 
order to renew the registration under this paragraph, pro-
vide notice to the Attorney General of the amended or sup-
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plemented research protocol in the applicant’s renewal ma-
terials. 
‘‘(iii)(I) If an applicant amends or supplements the 
research protocol in a manner that involves a change to 
the type of drug, the source of the drug, or conditions 
under which the drug is stored, tracked, or administered 
or otherwise increases the risk of diversion, the applicant 
shall provide notice to the Attorney General not later than 
30 days before proceeding on such amended or supple-
mental research protocol. 
‘‘(II) If the Attorney General does not object during 
the 30-day period following a notification under subclause 
(I), the applicant may proceed with the amended or sup-
plemental research protocol. 
‘‘(iv) The Attorney General may object to an amend-
ed or supplemental research protocol under clause (i) or 
(iii) if additional security measures are needed to safe-
guard against diversion or abuse. 
‘‘(G) Article 28 of the Single Convention on Narcotic 
Drugs shall not be construed to prohibit, or impose addi-
tional restrictions upon, research involving marijuana that 
is conducted in accordance with this paragraph and other 
applicable provisions of this title. 
‘‘(H) If marijuana or a compound of marijuana is 
listed on a schedule other than schedule I— 
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