53H-4-206. Center for Medical Cannabis Research.
(1) As used in this section: "Academic research cannabis license" means the license described in Title, Academic Medical Cannabis Research. 4, Chapter 41a, Part 9 "Cannabis" means the same as that term is defined in Section. 26B-4-201 "Cannabis cultivation facility" means the same as that term is defined in Section. 4-41a-102 "Cannabis product" means the same as that term is defined in Section. 26B-4-201 "Center" means the Center for the Medical Cannabis Research created in this section. "Eligible institution" means an institution of higher education that: is located in Utah; and has or will obtain an academic research cannabis license. "Medical cannabis patient card" means the same as that term is defined in Section. 26B-4-201
(2) There is created the Center for Medical Cannabis Research within the University of Utah.
(3) The center: shall seek state, federal, and private funds to award grants for medical cannabis research; shall facilitate and support funding for research related to the health effects, including the potential risks or side effects, of the use of cannabis products; shall facilitate and support funding for research related to the efficacy and potential health effects of various cannabis delivery methods, including vaporizing, ingesting, topical application, and combustion; shall support researchers in applying for and securing federal and private research grant funding for expanding medical cannabis research; shall review current and future cannabis research literature, clinical studies, and clinical trials; shall educate medical providers, lawmakers, and the public about medical cannabis research advances; shall, if requested, consult with researchers and eligible institutions seeking to conduct medical cannabis research regarding legal implications of the research under state and federal law; shall monitor, to the extent that appropriate and sufficient data are available, patient outcomes in any state with a medicinal cannabis program; may coordinate, share knowledge, and share best practices with a state: that has a medical cannabis program; and is conducting cannabis research; may award or facilitate funding for grants to an eligible institution for medical cannabis research, including research regarding the growing of a medical-grade cannabis plant that is used for a cannabis product; shall support a licensed cannabis cultivation facility to provide medical-grade cannabis products for research; shall make, for research conducted by the center, the research outcomes publicly available; shall maintain a catalog of all published scientific reports based on projects funded or managed by the center; shall ensure that an individual who agrees to use a cannabis product as part of a research project conducted by the center or a grantee has: a valid medical cannabis patient card from the state; or if included in the research project as a resident of another state, the equivalent of a medical cannabis patient card under the laws of another state, district, territory, commonwealth, or insular possession of the United States; shall obtain an academic research cannabis license; may apply for, or assist an eligible institution to apply for, a federal cannabis cultivation registration to locate a cannabis cultivation site in Utah; and for the report described in Section, shall provide information to the Department of Health and Human Services describing: 26B-4-222 all research projects that are funded by a grant awarded by the center, including which institution received the grant; all research projects conducted by the center; and the adequacy of funding for the center's duties.
(4) For research funded, conducted, or facilitated by the center, the center shall ensure the research: includes appropriate research development, testing, and evaluation; and if the research involves human subjects, is reviewed, approved, and overseen by an institutional review board as defined in Section. 26B-4-212
(5) The University of Utah shall provide staff for the center.