DEA Eases Up on Enforcement of Approved Cannabidiol Trials

The Drug Enforcement Administration is relaxing its control on FDA-approved research into a marijuana extract.

The government body said in late December it will ease access restrictions on cannabidiol, a chemical extract of marijuana used in some medical research, effective immediately.

Federal regulations tightly control the amount of cannabidiol researchers can use and the circumstances of its use. Previously, if researchers wanted additional amounts or to change the scope of their research, they would have to go through a time-consuming process to secure written approval from both the DEA and the FDA. Under the policy change, registered cannabidiol researchers can obtain a waiver and “readily modify their protocol and continue their research seamlessly,” according to a release.

A DEA spokeswoman said the policy change was not a formal rule revision, but she could not provide additional information on the nature of the change.