Vermont think tank seeks to expand research on medical marijuana

COLCHESTER, Vt. (AP) – A Vermont think tank is working to develop new technologies aimed toward researching and exploring the uses of medical marijuana products.

Willy Cats-Baril, an associate professor at the University of Vermont’s Grossman School of Business, tells Vermont Public Radio the Phytoscience Institute is trying to bring the same scientific scrutiny provided by agencies like the FDA to medical marijuana.

Cats-Baril, one of five members of the institute, says its vision is to develop the intellectual property needed to advance the medical cannabis field and export those advances to other states and countries.

The institute released a white paper last week in which they recommended testing and regulatory guidelines they think state lawmakers should adopt for medical marijuana.