By One of the country’s most prestigious academic institutions will have a new research center dedicated to cannabis research.
Yale University School of Medicine announced This week, the creation of a “research center to study the acute and chronic effects of cannabis and cannabinoids on neurodevelopment and mental health.”
Dubbed the “Yale Center for the Science of Cannabis and Cannabinoids,” the center is sponsored by “Deepak Cyril D’Souza, MD, Albert E. Kent Professor of Psychiatry and a leading authority on the pharmacology of cannabinoids. led by Dr.
The announcement comes just weeks after Connecticut, home to elite Ivy League universities, began selling legal recreational cannabis.
After the regulated marijuana market went live, D’Souza warned against youth cannabis use.
“Why do you think it’s easy for adolescents to get cigarettes and alcohol, but not for cannabis,” D’Souza said. Local news station WTNH.
“Adolescent exposure to cannabis is associated with the development of several serious psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia and other psychoses,” added D’Souza.
The center, announced Monday by the university, will initially be funded by the “Department of Psychiatry, with the support of the dean’s office.”
“The funding will support pilot research towards the development of a P50-type center grant application …” the university said in a statement, adding that those interested in applying for funding should contact D’Souza. said.
“The launch of the center comes at a time of rapid commercialization of cannabis across the United States,” said university leaders, according to a press release about the new center for cannabis research. We use research,” he said. A multidisciplinary approach to study the acute and chronic effects of cannabis and cannabinoids. ”
Last month, Connecticut began selling legal recreation pots. First week of sales, according to WTNH brought in over $2 million.
The state will legalize marijuana in 2021. Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont, who was elected to the next term in last year’s election, signed the bill into law.
“That is why I am introducing legislation and working hard with our legislative partners and other stakeholders to create safe, regulated markets that prioritize public health, public safety, social justice and fairness. We have created a comprehensive framework for the GDPR that will help eliminate unregulated and dangerous markets and support new growth sectors of the economy that create jobs,” Lamont said in a signing statement at the time. said in “Allow adult possession of cannabis, regulate its sale and content, train police officers on the latest techniques to detect and prevent driving deficiencies, and expunge the criminal records of those who have committed certain cannabis crimes. By doing so, not only are we effectively modernizing the law, but by tackling injustice, we are keeping Connecticut economically competitive with its neighbors.”
In December, Lamont announced that about 44,000 marijuana convictions would be rescinded in early 2023 as part of the state’s new cannabis law.
“On January 1, thousands of people in Connecticut will have their low-level cannabis convictions automatically revoked by the cannabis legalization bill enacted last year,” Lamont said in a statement at the time. rice field. “Employers in Connecticut, in particular, are trying to fill hundreds of thousands of job openings, so old beliefs about low-level cannabis possession should not get in the way of pursuing career, housing, occupational, and educational aspirations. not.”
