Report on Marijuana Research: Report to Congress

NHTSA · 2024 · ROSA P / United States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Office of Behavioral Safety Research

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Summary

This report, prepared by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in collaboration with the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services, fulfills a mandate under Section 25026 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The primary objective is to identify methods for increasing scientific researcher access to marijuana samples, establishing a national clearinghouse for research distribution, and addressing statutory and regulatory barriers to studying marijuana-impaired driving. The report synthesizes information from multiple federal agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to outline the current landscape of cannabis research and propose pathways for improvement. The analysis reveals that while regulatory frameworks have evolved, significant constraints remain. Since 2020, the DEA has allowed eight bulk manufacturers to grow cannabis for research, serving over 575 licensed researchers. However, federally funded researchers are prohibited from analyzing products from state-authorized dispensaries, limiting the ability to study real-world cannabis varieties and contaminants. The report details a complex, multi-step licensing process involving Institutional Review Boards, FDA Investigational New Drug applications, and DEA site registrations, which can take at least six months. Additionally, university risk management policies often deter institutions from assuming the financial and legal liabilities associated with establishing secure cannabis laboratories. The report also notes that mobile laboratory studies, while valuable, suffer from a lack of standardized dosing, as researchers cannot verify the potency of participant-supplied cannabis. Key findings indicate that barriers to research are surmountable but require systemic changes. The report highlights the proposed National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) Resource Center for Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research as a potential clearinghouse to reduce barriers and support new entrants. It emphasizes the need for standardized dosing methodologies, such as the NIH’s 5 mg THC standard unit, to enable comparable "apples-to-apples" research across studies. The report also discusses the potential impact of rescheduling cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III, a recommendation made by HHS in 2023, which could ease access and reduce institutional risk. Current NHTSA and NIDA-funded research focuses on developing non-invasive detection tools, such as breath analyzers and oral fluid tests, to better quantify impairment at the roadside. The significance of this report lies in its comprehensive mapping of the regulatory and logistical hurdles facing traffic safety research. It concludes that while the current system is designed to protect human subjects and prevent diversion, it inadvertently limits the diversity and relevance of research data. By advocating for a national clearinghouse, standardized dosing, and potential rescheduling, the report provides a roadmap for Congress and federal agencies to facilitate more rigorous, real-world evidence on marijuana-impaired driving. This evidence is critical for developing accurate impairment standards and effective law enforcement tools, ultimately enhancing road safety.

Key finding

The report identifies that while statutory and regulatory barriers to marijuana research are surmountable, significant challenges regarding access to diverse real-world products, standardization of dosing, and institutional risk management persist, necessitating structural improvements like a national clearinghouse to advance traffic safety research.

Methodology

review

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• cannabis
• illicit drugs