PRINTER'S NO. 3342

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

No.

217

Session of

2022

INTRODUCED BY RABB, HILL-EVANS, McNEILL, SANCHEZ, ROZZI, MADDEN

AND HOHENSTEIN, JUNE 30, 2022

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, JUNE 30, 2022

processing and researching cannabis plants.

WHEREAS, The act of April 17, 2016 (P.L.84, No.16), known as

the Medical Marijuana Act, was passed in a bipartisan fashion;

and

WHEREAS, The Medical Marijuana Act established the Medical

Marijuana Advisory Board within the Department of Health of the

Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, The Medical Marijuana Advisory Board was given the

following duties under the Medical Marijuana Act:

Senate and the House of Representatives two years after the

effective date of the Medical Marijuana Act;

and

WHEREAS, After the receipt of the report of the Medical

Marijuana Advisory Board, the Department of Health was given the

authority to promulgate regulations to effectuate

recommendations made by the advisory board; and

WHEREAS, The Medical Marijuana Act established a clinical

research program to allow for eight clinical registrants; and

WHEREAS, A clinical registrant holds both a medical marijuana

grower/processor permit and a dispensary permit; and

WHEREAS, The work conducted through these partnerships

provides physicians with evidence-based research to make

clinical decisions for their patients; and

WHEREAS, The Controlled Substances Act (Public Law 91-513, 84

Stat. 1236) requires each person seeking to manufacture a

controlled substance to obtain a United States Drug Enforcement

Agency registration; and

WHEREAS, The Controlled Substances Act defines "manufacture"

to include the "production" of a controlled substance, including

the planting, cultivation, growing or harvesting of a controlled

States Drug Enforcement Agency registration; and

WHEREAS, The United States Drug Enforcement Agency issued a

final rule, effective January 19, 2021, to amend its regulations

to facilitate the cultivation of marijuana for research

purposes; and

WHEREAS, As of February 2022, the cannabis industry supports

more than 428,000 full-time jobs in the United States; and

WHEREAS, This equates to an annual job growth rate of 33%;

and

WHEREAS, The cannabis industry needs a labor force, and

workers must have the expertise and skills to work in an ever-

facilitate State System of Higher Education universities to

secure United States Drug Enforcement Agency registrations to

authorize the possession of cannabis for clinical registrants to

engage in hands-on work regarding cultivating, testing,

processing and researching cannabis plants; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the General Assembly urge the Medical

Marijuana Advisory Board to put forth additional recommendations

in partnership with other entities, including universities; and

be it further

RESOLVED, That the General Assembly urge the Medical

that currently offer or are considering cannabis-related degree

programs:

institutions allow students to use Federal student aid to

enroll in and take cannabis-related courses of study.

that prohibit universities from receiving Federal funding or

grants due to cannabis-related courses of study.

least 18 years of age to enroll and participate in courses

that involve the touching or handling of cannabis plants.

comply with regulations. Furthermore, additional protections

should be implemented to ensure that Federal funding is not

jeopardized and that university employees and contractors do

not face discrimination for legal medical cannabis use.

collaborations between different universities and between

universities and corporations. University-corporate

partnerships should include:

and be it further

RESOLVED, That, upon adoption of this concurrent resolution

by both chambers of the General Assembly, the Chief Clerk of the

House of Representatives shall transmit a copy of this