Major schools are getting into the science of marijuana
Research centers to deepen the benefits of medical cannabis have a notorious presence around the country. Many researchers make use of these places to analyze the different effects of the plant and determine how it really benefits health. While it is true that for the third year in a row, the legislation to legalize medical cannabis in Kentucky is not having much success in the Senate, the University of Kentucky has not hesitated to open the doors to accelerating research on the medical benefits of marijuana.
The Kentucky Cannabis Center, located in the Drug and Alcohol Research Center of the University’s College of Medicine, is the result of the passage of HB 604. It has been designed with the intention of advancing the study of the use of marijuana and its derivatives for the treatment of various diseases and medical conditions.
The approved legislation provides that the center will receive approximately $2 million over a two-year period for research and participant recruitment costs to be funded. The US Drug Enforcement Agency must receive an application from the University and the Center in order for them to be able to cultivate cannabis. If given the green light, the center will have the ability to conduct research related to optimal growing conditions.
“The legislature is interested in having us explore the conditions for which medical cannabis might be useful, as well as the most effective dosing and route of administration for each condition,” said Shanna Babalonis, Ph.D., director of the Cannabis Center. “The new center will allow us to expand our clinical research, particularly focusing on medical conditions that may be helped by medical cannabis.”