The University of Kentucky is home to the state's center for Cannabis Research.

It was established by legislation in the state House in 2022 during a legislative hearing in Frankfort yesterday, the director of the UK Cannabis Center gave lawmakers an update on its work, which might soon include an indoor cannabis growing facility.

Our Emily Sisk has the details, and tonight's legislative update.

The Kentucky Cannabis Center is one of five facilities in the country that conducts research and clinical trials on the effects of cannabis.

Currently, the center has clinical trials for patients with cancer, opioid use disorder, obesity, and more.

As the center director reported, they're also looking to grow their own cannabis.

We have an indoor growing facility set up with full security.

It's fully established and our application is in the final stage at DEA headquarters in Washington, D.C.

the DEA is the Drug Enforcement Administration, which must approve the growing application since marijuana is classified as a schedule one drug.

The goal of this project ultimately would be to grow cannabis for clinical trials, and we're particularly interested in growing rare types of cannabis that we can't otherwise obtain if we're able to move from plant to person.

We would be literally one of the first in the world with bench to bedside capabilities.

The center is also reviewing how the increase in cannabis products like edibles could adversely affect children.

THC is a compound in cannabis which makes users feel high.

Doctor Babylon said THC affects children very differently compared to adults.

There is a big increase nationwide, but also in Kentucky, of accidental and ingestion of THC edibles like gummy bears and cookies, and cannabis does not work the same way in adults and children.

Children, have really pronounced serious prolonged toxicity from cannabis.

Lawmakers said they were interested to hear more about potential impacts on Kentucky children.

One senator posed a problem with the packaging of these cannabis products.

Is there any effort going on nationwide to package this in and less attractively, for children?

Quite the opposite.

And is there a way to address that?

Because I mean, we're actually putting things out there that look like candy.

It's just really the Wild West right now unfortunately.

And then and unfortunately children are being exposed to this.

A Republican lawmaker said she'd be interested to look further to see what the legislature could do about making the packaging less attractive to children.

We did pass a bill a couple years ago about, you know, maybe making this illegal for anybody under 21 that is supposed to be behind the counter.

There is supposed to be certain product testing with it.

And, you know, I think we could go farther to look at the packaging to make sure that it's not geared towards children.

Doctor Babylon said she is not aware of any pediatric deaths from THC ingestion in the state.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm Emily Sisk.

Thank you.

Emily.

Doctor Babylon has said the they began the application for an indoor cannabis growing facility in September of last year.

They hope to hear back soon if the application has been accepted.