Center for Cannabis Research.

(1) Existing law authorizes the creation by the University of California of the California Cannabis Research Program, the purpose of which is to develop and conduct studies intended to ascertain the general medical safety and efficacy of cannabis and, if found valuable, to develop medical guidelines for the appropriate administration and use of cannabis. Existing law authorizes the program to conduct focused controlled clinical trials on the usefulness of cannabis in patients diagnosed with specified conditions, including cancer and glaucoma. This bill would expand the purview of the program to include the study of naturally occurring constituents of cannabis and synthetic compounds that have effects similar to naturally occurring cannabinoids. The bill would authorize the program to cultivate cannabis to be used exclusively for research purposes and to contract with a private entity to provide expertise in cultivating medical cannabis. The bill would also authorize the controlled clinical trials to focus on examining testing methods for detecting harmful contaminants in cannabis, including mold and bacteria. (2) Existing law requires the President of the University of California, if the program is implemented, to appoint a multidisciplinary Scientific Advisory Council, not to exceed 15 members, to provide policy guidance in the creation and implementation of the program. This bill would require the president to appoint the advisory council on the advice of the director of the program. The bill would also require the program, by July 1, 2018, to report to the Legislature, the Governor, and the Attorney General on the progress of the cannabis studies and to report every year thereafter to the Legislature detailing the progress of the studies. (3) Existing law, the Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA) , an initiative statute approved by the voters at the November 8, 2016, statewide general election as Proposition 64, among other things, establishes the California Marijuana Tax Fund as a continuously appropriated fund consisting of specified taxes, interest, penalties, and other amounts imposed by AUMA. AUMA requires, after other specified disbursements are made from the fund, the Controller to disburse the sum of $10,000,000 annually to a public university or universities in California, beginning with the 2018–19 fiscal year until the 2028–29 fiscal year, to research and evaluate the implementation and effect of AUMA and, if appropriate, make recommendations to the Legislature and the Governor regarding possible amendments to AUMA. Existing law requires the Bureau of Marijuana Control to select the universities to be funded. This bill would provide that it is the intent of the Legislature that the state commission objective scientific research by the University of California under the California Cannabis Research Program to study the implementation and effect of the Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act. The bill would also amend the provisions of AUMA to require the Bureau of Marijuana Control to consider selecting the University of California and the California Cannabis Research Program when selecting a public university or public universities to be funded to research and evaluate the implementation and effect of AUMA. This bill would also make conforming changes to a related provision of law. (4) AUMA authorizes legislative amendment of its provisions with a 23 vote of both houses of the Legislature, without submission to the voters, to further its purposes and intent. This bill would declare that its provisions further specified purposes and intent of the Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act.