KRS 164.983: Kentucky Center for Cannabis -- Mission -- Duties.

(1) The Kentucky Center for Cannabis is hereby established at the University of

Kentucky to advance the study of the use of cannabis and cannabis derivatives

for the treatment of certain medical conditions and diseases as indicated and

recommended by the center's advisory board.

(2) The role and mission of the center shall be to:

(a) Conduct and fund research related to cannabis and cannabis derivatives;

(b) Conduct and fund research related to the health effects, including the

potential risks or side effects, of the use of cannabis and cannabis

derivatives;

(c) Conduct and fund research related to the efficacy and potential health

effects of various cannabis delivery methods, including but not limited to

vaporizing, ingestibles, topical applications, and combustion;

(d) Review current and future cannabis research literature, clinical studies,

and clinical trials;

(e) Monitor, to the extent that appropriate and sufficient data are available,

patient outcomes in states with medicinal cannabis programs; and

(f) Examine, to the extent that sufficient data are available, the health effects

of the use of combustible cannabis.

(3) The university shall:

(a) Develop and maintain the center in accordance with its administrative and

governing regulations related to the formation of multidisciplinary research

centers and institutes;

(b) Establish an internal advisory board to oversee the activities, research

agenda, and finances of the center. Members of the advisory board shall

be appointed by the president of the University of Kentucky;

(c) Report to the secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and

the Legislative Research Commission by September 1 each year for the

preceding fiscal year, outlining the center's activities and expenditures;

and

(d) Ensure that the center complies with subsection (4) of this section.

(4) The center shall:

(a) Employ a director and necessary staff;

(b) Seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations from private or

public sources to support the role and mission of the center;

(c) Conduct clinical research, clinical studies, and clinical trials as approved

by appropriate federal agencies;

(d) Establish an application for individuals interested in participating in

cannabis-related clinical research, clinical studies, or clinical trials and a

screening protocol to place interested applicants in appropriate research

participant pools;

(e) Publicly disseminate the research conducted or funded by the center;

(f) Host an annual cannabis research symposium; and

(g) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, and upon request

from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, enter into a

memorandum of understanding with the cabinet for data collected by the

center or any researcher associated with or funded by the center.

(5) (a) The center may award research funds to any nonprofit Kentucky-based

research entity or any Kentucky institution of higher education and any

research entity association with such an institution.

(b) If the center awards research funds to any other entity, the center shall

use an open, competitive grant application process using national best

practices.

(c) Any entity or institution that receives research funds from the center shall

present the results of its research at the center's annual research

symposium in the year after the research is concluded and shall, upon

request from the center, present an update on any ongoing research at

the center's annual research symposium if the research has not

concluded.

(6) The application developed pursuant to subsection (4)(d) of this section shall be

made publicly available on the center's Web site.

(7) The university, the center, and any researcher or staff employed by, associated

with, or funded by the center or the university shall immediately notify the

Cabinet for Health and Family Services and the Legislative Research

Commission of any imminent or serious public health risk, or potentially

imminent or serious public health risk, associated with cannabis identified as

part of a research project associated with or approved by the center or the

university's internal review board.

(8) If at any time the Commonwealth establishes a medicinal cannabis program,

the application to receive a medicinal cannabis card shall include a question

asking whether the patient is interested in participating in clinical research

conducted by the center. If the patient indicates his or her interest in

participating in the center's research, the department or state agency

responsible for approving medicinal cannabis cards is authorized to share the

patient's name, phone number, and address with the center.