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8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor encourages Congress to
11 enable credible, institution-based research of cannabinoid molecules found in the
12 marijuana plant and requests that the Food and Drug Administration and the Drug
13 Enforcement Administration take action to provide the means for determining the
14 human medical benefits of these products.
15 Highlighted Provisions:
16 This resolution:
17 ▸ encourages the United States Congress to consider legislation that would enable
18 credible, institution-based research of cannabinoid molecules found in the
19 marijuana plant, for potential beneficial human medical use;
20 ▸ requests that the Food and Drug Administration and the Drug Enforcement
21 Administration take action, through their drug classification schedules, to provide a
22 path to help determine the human medical benefits of these products; and
23 ▸ recommends that Congress facilitate research by specifically charging the National
24 Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health to oversee this research
25 of cannabinoid molecules and systems and that Congress provide the National
26 Institute on Drug Abuse with the necessary addition to their budget to assure the
27 research is conducted appropriately.
28 Special Clauses:
29 None
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31 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
32 WHEREAS, drugs and certain chemicals used to make drugs are classified by federal
33 law into five distinct categories or schedules depending upon the drug's acceptable medical use
34 and the drug's abuse or dependency potential;
35 WHEREAS, the abuse rate of a drug is a determinate factor in its scheduling;
36 WHEREAS, Schedule I drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with no
37 currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse;
38 WHEREAS, Schedule I drugs are the most dangerous drugs of all the drug schedules
39 with potentially severe psychological or physical dependence;
40 WHEREAS, marijuana plant extracts such as cannabidiol (CBD) and
41 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), are classified as Schedule I controlled substances;
42 WHEREAS, cannabinoid systems in the human body are essential regulators of vital
43 central nervous system and systemic functions;
44 WHEREAS, these systems are affected by the active ingredients in marijuana;
45 WHEREAS, a careful and targeted interaction between the body's cannabiniod systems
46 and selective drugs can have valuable medical benefits;
47 WHEREAS, many of the drugs that are cannabinoid targeted may also carry with them
48 the potential for abuse;
49 WHEREAS, these drugs may also impact cognition, memory, motor control, and
50 immune systems, particularly during development in adolescents;
51 WHEREAS, these side effects should be given careful study when determining the
52 drugs' therapeutic value;
53 WHEREAS, it will require much additional research before the cannabinoid-selective
54 molecules providing the most benefit and most minimal side effects are identified;
55 WHEREAS, scientists should be encouraged to engage in research aimed at identifying
56 the medical value of cannabiniods;
57 WHEREAS, a Schedule I controlled substance license, which allows access to
58 cannabinoid compounds and is issued by the Drug Enforcement Administration, is required to
59 conduct studies on Schedule I drugs;
60 WHEREAS, the classification of CBD or THC as Schedule I controlled substances,
61 therefore, makes legitimate studies of these drugs extremely difficult and cumbersome;
62 WHEREAS, while research on Schedule I controlled substances is very difficult but
63 possible, prescribing and dispensing is completely impossible;
64 WHEREAS, licensing requirements can discourage legitimate investigation because a
65 license is very difficult to obtain;
66 WHEREAS, federal legislation altering the requirements for a Schedule I license,
67 specifically to accommodate legitimate, established medical facilities, investigators, and
68 researchers, may pave the way for the needed research in cannabinoid-selective molecules;
69 WHEREAS, there is growing anecdotal evidence of the benefits of CBD and THC;
70 WHEREAS, if drugs that target cannabinoid systems are identified and made
71 commercially available, only specially trained medical providers should be allowed to
72 prescribe them; and
73 WHEREAS, this step should be required to protect the public:
74 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
75 Governor concurring therein, encourages the United States Congress to consider legislation
76 that would enable credible, institution-based research of cannabinoid molecules found in the
77 marijuana plant, also known as cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), for
78 potential beneficial human medical use.
79 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor request that the
80 Food and Drug Administration and the Drug Enforcement Administration take action, through
81 their drug classification schedules, to provide a path to help determine the human medical
82 benefits of these products.
83 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor recommend that
84 Congress facilitate research by specifically charging the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the
85 National Institutes of Health to oversee this research of cannabinoid molecules and systems and
86 that Congress provide the National Institute on Drug Abuse with the necessary addition to its
87 budget to assure the research is conducted appropriately.
88 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Majority
89 Leader of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives,
90 the Food and Drug Administration, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Utah
91 Department of Health, the Utah Department of Public Safety, the Utah Medical Association,
92 and the University of Utah School of Medicine.
Legislative Review Note
Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel