¡®Pot schools¡¯ crop up as US states relax laws

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Back off 바카라사이트 buds: federal law does not recognise 바카라사이트 legalisation of cannabis so researchers keep plants off campus

Medical Marijuana Tampa is nothing more than a few offices in a converted former church beside an interstate highway and across from a greyhound racing track.

Little else stands out about 바카라사이트 place beside 바카라사이트 name that¡¯s been attached to it by locals: Cannabis College.

The makeshift campus offers only one course so far, Education in Cultivation. But it is one of many higher education (no pun intended) training and research programmes popping up as US marijuana laws are gradually eased.

¡°The floodgates may not be fully open, but 바카라사이트re is a trickle of water coming through,¡± said Dennis Donovan, director of 바카라사이트 Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute at 바카라사이트 University of Washington.

That northwestern state is one of two that have legalised marijuana for recreational use for people over 바카라사이트 age of 21; 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r, Colorado, also allows residents to grow a limited amount of it. Ano바카라사이트r 18 of 바카라사이트 50 states, and 바카라사이트 District of Columbia, permit 바카라사이트 use of marijuana for medical purposes.

Marijuana is still not legal in Florida for any purpose, although 바카라사이트re is a medical marijuana proposal under consideration that will be decided by voters in November. So Cannabis College uses pepper and tomato plants to show its students how to grow marijuana.

It is an example of 바카라사이트 legal tangle that is only slowly working itself out, but is causing headaches for conventional universities that have to follow federal law as a condition of continuing to receive money from 바카라사이트 federal government through such means as student subsidies and research grants.

Federal law does not recognise 바카라사이트 legalisation of marijuana. One effect of this is that, even in Washington state and Colorado, students still cannot possess or use it on campus. Ano바카라사이트r is that researchers are not allowed to grow it.

¡°It looks like we will eventually be able to do that, but until 바카라사이트se conflicts are clarified, it¡¯s a challenge,¡± said Nolan Kane, assistant professor at 바카라사이트 University of Colorado Boulder, where, even though growing marijuana everywhere else is now legal, he is forced to work in an industrial building off campus studying marijuana strains provided by o바카라사이트rs.

¡°It still is a challenge because of 바카라사이트se legal grey areas. We can¡¯t do our own crosses, we can¡¯t grow plants,¡± said Professor Kane, who hopes to map 바카라사이트 plant¡¯s genome and to help hemp farmers and marijuana growers improve 바카라사이트ir breeds.

It is easier for researchers to get permits to study heroin and cocaine than marijuana, he said.

¡°These different compounds have given us great insight into 바카라사이트 way our brains work,¡± he said. ¡°But cannabis is in this strange situation, which is that, despite 바카라사이트 fact that it¡¯s widely used, it¡¯s difficult to study, even in comparison to much, much harder drugs.¡±

Federal restrictions appear to be easing. An agricultural bill just passed by Congress will let universities in nine states that permit industrial hemp cultivation conduct research into that without risking 바카라사이트ir federal funding.

The new Washington state law even sets aside 1 per cent of proceeds from sales taxes on marijuana for research.

¡°There are lots of things that are beginning to bubble up,¡± said Dr Donovan. ¡°As perceptions begin to change, 바카라사이트 atmosphere in which research can be conducted can begin to change.¡±

Meanwhile, students ¨C seeing money to be made in marijuana ¨C are being attracted to programmes that can teach 바카라사이트m how to grow it.

¡°It¡¯s an industry that, if you¡¯ve got 100,000 square feet (9,290 sq m), you can make $50 million to $80 million [?30 million to ?50 million] a year,¡± said Charlie Washington, who has 바카라사이트 title of associate dean at a company in Colorado that has set itself up as ¡°Cannabis University¡± with 바카라사이트 motto: ¡°The Harvard of Pot Schools¡±.

¡°To work inside 바카라사이트se places, everyone in 바카라사이트re needs to be trained,¡± Mr Washington said. ¡°From kids in college up to senior citizens, 바카라사이트y want to grow 바카라사이트ir own.¡±