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Senate moves resolution urging federal rescheduling of marijuana and research coordination
Summary
Senate Concurrent Resolution 11, asking federal authorities to consider moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule II and encouraging state research partnerships, was discussed and moved for consideration; senators voiced bipartisan support for more formal studies while expressing caution about federal legal consequences.
Senate Concurrent Resolution 11, introduced by Senator Shiozawa, calls on Congress and federal agencies to consider reclassifying marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule II and asks state research institutions to coordinate feasibility studies. The resolution was presented on the Senate floor and supporters said it would enable formal research by the University of Utah, Huntsman Cancer Institute, the VA and UStar, reporting back to a designated legislative committee.
"It calls on Congress, the president, and our federal government to reschedule from a Schedule I to a Schedule II category," Senator Shiozawa said, adding that several research entities had already begun feasibility work. Senators who supported the resolution said rescheduling could remove regulatory obstacles to rigorous clinical research and potentially open pathways for FDA-regulated study.
Several senators cautioned that unilateral state action to change scheduling could pose federal funding and legal risks for university researchers and the VA because federal grant rules and DEA licensure are involved. Senator Shiozawa said the authors would engage legal counsel at the University of Utah, Huntsman and the VA to understand and mitigate those risks.
Senators expressed broad, if measured, support for moving research forward. One senator recommended the resolution as a constructive way to press federal authorities while enabling Utah institutions to prepare coordinated studies. The resolution remained on the second-reading calendar for consideration and follow-up in the Legislature.
