This bill is part of the 2021 Cannabis Bills section of our ongoing update on California Cannabis Legislation – see the full California Cannabis Law Legislative Update which includes information on cannabis bills from other years.
AB 527 (Wood D) Controlled substances: cannabinoids.
(1) Existing law, the California Uniform Controlled Substances Act (the act), classifies controlled substances into 5 designated schedules, with the most restrictive limitations generally placed on controlled substances classified in Schedule I, and the least restrictive limitations generally placed on controlled substances classified in Schedule V.
This bill would exempt from Schedule III specific compounds, mixtures, or preparations that contain a nonnarcotic controlled substance in combination with a derivative of barbituric acid or any salt thereof that are listed in the federal Table of Exempted Prescription Products and have been exempted pursuant to federal law or regulation. The bill would exempt from Schedule IV specific compounds, mixtures, or preparations that contain a nonnarcotic controlled substance in combination with a chlordiazepoxide or phenobarbital that are listed in the federal Table of Exempted Prescription Products and have been exempted from scheduling under federal law or regulation.
Under the act, cannabis is placed in Schedule I. Cannabidiol and other cannabinoids are compounds contained in cannabis. The act restricts the prescription, furnishing, possession, sale, and use of controlled substances, including cannabis and synthetic cannabinoid compounds, and makes a violation of those laws a crime, except as specified. Existing law, if one of specified changes in federal law regarding the controlled substance cannabidiol occurs, deems a physician, pharmacist, or other healing arts licensee who prescribes, furnishes, or dispenses a product composed of cannabidiol, in accordance with federal law, to be in compliance with state law governing those acts and provides that, upon the effective date of one of those changes in federal law, the prescription, furnishing, dispensing, transfer, transportation, possession, or use of that product in accordance with federal law is for a legitimate medical purpose and is authorized pursuant to state law.
This bill would expand the provisions authorizing the prescription, furnishing, dispensing, transfer, transportation, possession, or use of cannabidiol products in accordance with federal law, upon the specified changes being made to federal law, to include all products with cannabinoids.
(2) Existing law requires the Department of Justice to maintain the Controlled Substances Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) for the electronic monitoring of the prescribing and dispensing of Schedule II, Schedule III, and Schedule IV controlled substances by a health care practitioner authorized to prescribe, order, administer, furnish, or dispense a Schedule II, Schedule III, or Schedule IV controlled substance. Existing law limits the entities to which data may be provided from CURES, as well as the type of data that may be released and the uses to which it may be put.
This bill would require the Department of Justice to provide the University of California with access to identifiable data for research purposes.
Read more about California Cannabis Legislation – see the full California Cannabis Law Legislative Update.
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