A new academic center will be set up in Jamaica for the sole purpose of studying marijuana’s potential as a medicine, reports the Jamaica Gleaner. The center, called the Jamaica Cannabis Institute, will be jointly established by the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the University of Technology (UTech). The plans were announced last week by the chairman of the Ganja Law Reform Coalition Paul Chang. Chang was asked by the director of UWI, Gordon Shirley, to head the preparation of the new facility, which will be built on the school’s campus. We are making presentations to the UWI Council at the end of October. [It is going to] focus on scientific research in medical and other scientific applications. The Jamaica Cannabis Institute will take the place of a similar research center that was opened by UTech’s president Errol Morrison and professor Dr. Henry Lowe, but closed down in 2002. Dr. Lowe is well known for his role in developing Canasol, a cannabis-based glaucoma treatment, and says the establishment of a research facility is critical for the country to harness the medical potential of the plant. We want more people to be focused because there is so much going on for the medicinal potentials. So we want to restart it. Dr. Lowe is an adjunct professor at both UTech and the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
Posted on: Thu, 24 Oct 2013 12:44:07 +0000