The Cannabis Research Act establishes a coordinated federal research program to study cannabis and its effects on human health. The bill requires the National Institutes of Health to develop a national cannabis research agenda within one year that addresses key questions about cannabis safety and efficacy for medical conditions like epilepsy and chronic pain, its impacts on vulnerable populations including children and pregnant women, and public safety concerns such as impaired driving and youth access. The legislation also designates up to ten universities as Centers of Excellence in Cannabis Research, which would receive federal funding to conduct interdisciplinary studies and clinical trials, with $50 million authorized annually from 2026 through 2030. Additionally, the bill establishes surveillance activities through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to collect population-wide data on cannabis use and health outcomes, and it allows researchers at designated centers to work with marijuana products that are legal under state law without federal sanctions. This legislation affects academic institutions, federal health agencies, and potentially patients and communities where cannabis research is being conducted or where cannabis is legally available.