Recreational use of cannabis became legal in Connecticut in 2021, and last month marked the first retail sales of cannabis in the state. The increasing commercialization and availability of cannabis to the general public in both Connecticut and across the United States creates a pressing need for more research on the short term and long term health effects of cannabis consumption. The Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, recently announced plans to establish the Yale Center for the Science of Cannabis and Cannabinoids to help address this need.
The new research center will be led by Deepak Cyril D’Souza, a professor of psychiatry and leading expert on the pharmacology of cannabinoids. Researchers at the center will use a multipronged and multidisciplinary approach to study the acute and chronic effects of cannabis and cannabinoids, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), on neurodevelopment and mental health, according to a statement by Dean of Medicine Nancy J. Brown and Department of Psychiatry Chair John H. Krystal.
Initial funding for the project will be provided by the school’s Department of Psychiatry with support from the dean’s office. These funds will support pilot studies toward the development of a P50-type center grant application focused on cannabis, cannabinoids, neurodevelopment and mental health. Further details about the application and process for pilot study funding are planned to be announced in the near future.
D’Souza told WTNH that research at the center will include animal studies, and noted that cannabis use is increasing among pregnant women and the elderly. The center will bring together researchers from different disciplines to better understand the impact of cannabis use on these populations and others. D’Souza has previously co-authored studies on the acute effects of delta-9 THC, brain changes in cannabis use disorder, the neurodevelopmental effects of adolescent cannabis exposure and more.