For states which define hemp (<0.3% THC) as distinct from marijuana, the USA Agriculture Act of 2014 allows departments of agriculture or universities to cultivate hemp as part of a research pilot program.
As of 2017, at least 39 US universities and dozens of researchers have begun studying hemp, yet guidance on top research priorities are lacking.
While traditionally a fiber and grain crop, hemp has emerged as a source of nonhallucinogenic medicinal phytocannabinoids (e.g., CBD) with distinct properties from marijuana. Dozens of clinical studies are now investigating anecdotal uses of CBD to treat various medical conditions.
The last several years have seen advancements in understanding Cannabis genetics through publications of a draft genome, transcriptome sequencing, quantitative trait mapping, and genetic comparisons between hemp and marijuana.