While cannabis laws move forward, research to back them up lags behind. A new multi-sector research endeavor will aim to bring cannabis sciences more up-to-date.
The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) is joining forces with Biopharmaceutical Research Company (BRC), a pharmaceutical company that is federally compliant and registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Together, they will study biological and chemical cannabis profiles, in hopes of benefitting health care providers, lawmakers, law enforcement professionals and scientists who engage with cannabis in their work. The compositions of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD) and other cannabinoids will take center-stage in this endeavor.
"While cannabis is already available for medicinal and recreational use in a majority of states, cannabis research has long struggled to keep pace with the law," Gail Taylor, professor and chair of the Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis, said, according to EurekAlert. Gail hopes she and her team will be able to help regulators better understand and manage the possible benefits and risks of cannabis.
Research foci and goals will include identifying and testing the best methods for cannabis sativa standardization; interactions between the plant and pests, and microbes and pathogens, in relation to crop management strategies; and regulation, treatment applications and prescription practices for the substance.
BRC’s mission is to explore how cannabis can help U.S. patients, especially veterans facing various afflictions and challenges. George Hodgin, founder and CEO of BRC, said, “The BRC team is eager to support UC Davis in this research endeavor, and to help lawmakers and regulators better understand the science of cannabis, so stakeholders can more effectively make policy and health decisions."
In related news, UC Davis is also launching a Cannabis and Hemp Research Center. It will open later in 2019 and will offer and conduct research, educational exchange, conferences and seminars. It will engage policymakers on these topics and provide seed funding, as well.
The center “will also provide a centralized resource to ensure compliance with current laws and policies,” Cindy Kiel, executive associate vice chancellor for research administration for the UC Davis Office of Research, said.
Article source: EurekAlert
