This new bill aims to see what kind of role cannabis could play in the opioid crisis as part of the medicinal and scientific research

Senator Cory Gardner (R) Colorado has signed on to a bipartisan effort revolving around easing the restrictions on medical cannabis research. This is big news, as Sen. Gardner is not the first to come to mind with pro-pot anything.

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Gardner’s now cosponsoring the Marijuana Effective Drug Study Act (MEDS Act) that aims to make the entire process easier for approving pot related research and raises production quotas for the federally approved marijuana growers who grow cannabis for pot-derived drugs.

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R) Utah introduced the bill with a comically pun riddled statement. Many marijuana activists didn’t appreciate the humor, however, as drug policy reform is more serious than ever under the current administration that intimidates patients and threatens medical and scientific research.

“It’s high time to address research into medical marijuana,” started Hatch, who is Mormon and is opposed to recreational cannabis, “Our country has experimented with a variety of state solutions without properly delving into the weeds on the effectiveness, safety, dosing, administration and quality of medical marijuana. All the while, the federal government strains to enforce regulations that sometimes do more harm than good. To be blunt, we need to remove the administrative barriers preventing legitimate research into medical marijuana, which is why I’ve decided to roll out the MEDS Act.”

Despite that tongue in cheek roll out, this new bill aims to see what kind of role cannabis could play in the opioid crisis as part of the medicinal and scientific research. It also has provisions to make sure controlled cannabis substances are not abused.

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“Our medical community continues to find new ways medical marijuana can help patients but currently there are too many barriers that are holding back even further advancements and research,” Gardner said in a statement. “This legislation is simple. It will make it easier for our universities, hospitals, and scientists to look at new ways that medical marijuana can be used for treatment.”

The bill is now with the Republican controlled Senate Judiciary Committee. Other cosponsors of the bill include senators Schatz (D) Hawaii, Chris Coons (D) Delaware and Thom Tillis (R) North Carolina.