Bill
HR 8394
The bill expands and streamlines federal support for higher-education marijuana research, enabling regulated access, grants, and interagency coordination while protecting researche
Date introduced: April 20, 2026
Session: 119th Congress
Prime sponsor: Rep. Dina Titus (with Rep. Ilhan Omar as co-sponsor)
Purpose
- To streamline and expand research on marijuana conducted by institutions of higher education (IHEs) in the United States.
- The bill aims to facilitate basic and applied marijuana research across medical, public health, agricultural, and policy-related topics, while reducing barriers created by current federal restrictions.
Key Provisions
1) Priority factors for license consideration ( Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. 823)
- Amends Section 303(a) to add a new consideration: whether the applicant is an institution of higher education or a State/local government entity.
- Existing priority factors remain, with this addition ensuring educational/government applicants receive explicit consideration.
2) DEA licensing data and transparency
- Requires the Attorney General (through the DEA) to submit an annual report (beginning within 180 days after enactment) to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees.
- Each report must include:
- Number of license applications under 21 U.S.C. 823 for the previous year, disaggregated by private entities, IHEs, and State/local government entities.
- Status of each application from the previous year.
- Reasons for any denied applications (if applicable).
- The option to disclose the applicant’s name with consent.
3) Access to marijuana for research (coverage of federal law)
- Allows an IHE located in a state or on tribal lands where marijuana is lawful to obtain marijuana from a state/tribal government marijuana regulatory body or law enforcement agency for:
- Biomedical, chemical, agricultural, or public health research.
- Additional allowed research purposes:
- Study marijuana types in state marketplaces.
- Examine public health implications of state marijuana policies.
- Investigate potential medical benefits of marijuana.
- Prohibits administering marijuana obtained from state/tribal law enforcement to individuals.
4) Participation protections for students and institutions
- Student participation: Covered students/researchers shall not lose federal financial aid or other federal funding due to participation in covered marijuana research conducted in controlled IHE settings.
- Institution eligibility for federal funds: IHEs shall not be made ineligible for federal funds due to sponsorhip of marijuana-related research.
- Immigration status: Participation in covered research shall not affect the immigration status of students/researchers.
5) Definitions
- Clarifies terms including “controlled setting,” “covered student,” “covered researcher,” “state or tribal government marijuana regulatory body,” and “state or tribal law enforcement agency.”
6) DOE/NIH/NIDA and NIH-DEA interagency collaboration
- Section 4 creates an NIH-led partnership process to streamline registration for studying marijuana, including a working group to provide recommendations within one year.
- The working group must include appointees from NIH, FDA, DEA, and two IHEs with relevant experience.
7) NIH grant program for medical benefits (Section 5)
- Establishes a grant program within the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to study marijuana’s potential medical benefits and public health impacts.
- Eligible recipients: IHEs capable of conducting the project.
- Priority factors: Geographic diversity and minority-serving institutions; preference for states/tribal lands where marijuana is legal.
- Funding authorization: $15 million per fiscal year from 2026 through 2030.
8) Agricultural study grants (Section 6)
- Establishes a separate program (within the Secretary of Agriculture) to study marijuana for agricultural purposes (conservation, growth techniques, interactions with other crops, and effects of different strains on agriculture).
- Priority similarly emphasizes states/tribal lands where marijuana is legal and minority institutions.
- Funding authorization: $15 million per fiscal year from 2026 through 2030.
9) International treaty alignment (Section 7)
- Article 28 of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs shall not be construed to prohibit or add restrictions to research, manufacture, distribution, or dispensing of marijuana conducted under the Act and the Controlled Substances Act.
10) Definitions (Section 8)
- Provides statutory definitions for IHEs, minority institutions, State, and related terms to ensure clarity across sections.
Who Would Be Affected
- Institutions of higher education seeking to conduct marijuana research.
- State and local governments and tribal entities involved in marijuana regulation and law enforcement.
- Federal agencies (DOJ/DEA, NIH/NIDA, FDA, USDA) implementing the licensing, grant, and interagency coordination provisions.
- Students and researchers participating in federally funded marijuana research, with protections against loss of federal aid or immigration consequences.
- Private entities applying for licenses for marijuana research (still subject to existing federal controls).
Timeline and Procedural Aspects
- Within 90 days after enactment: NIH must establish a grant program for medical research (Section 5) and an agricultural grant program (Section 6) with initial implementation steps.
- Within 90 days after enactment: Section 3 tasks the DEA to establish an Office of University Relations.
- Within 180 days after enactment: The NIH Director must establish an IHE partnership/working group (Section 4) to streamline registration processes; and the DEA must begin annual licensing reports (Section 2).
- One year after enactment: The NIH-convened working group must submit its recommendations.
- Ongoing funding: Grants authorized at $15 million per year for 2026–2030 for both medical and agricultural research programs.
Notes
- The bill does not legalize marijuana at the federal level; it seeks to facilitate research under existing federal law while expanding federal support and coordination for higher-ed research programs.
- It addresses international treaty language to avoid potential treaty barriers to research activities.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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