With a $3 million grant from Australian philanthropists Barry and Joy Lambert, Thomas Jefferson University has established a new medical center for cannabis education and research. The new facility, officially named The Lambert Center for the Study of Medicinal Cannabis and Hemp, will become the first such medical research center in the United States, according to information released by the university.
The donation comes at a pivotal time for the marijuana industry in the U.S. A total of 28 states and the District of Columbia have approved the possession and use of medicinal marijuana. That number includes four of the five most populous states: California, Florida, Illinois and New York.
“We are extremely grateful to the Lamberts for the bold and visionary gift, which will have an immediate impact on our research and education efforts,” Charles Pollack Jr., direction of the university’s Institute of Emerging Health Professions, said in a prepared statement.
Research Focus
Founded in 1824, Thomas Jefferson University is a private school with just under 2,000 students (844 of whom are postgraduate students) located in the Washington Square area of Philadelphia. The school focuses on the health sciences, including biomedical science, nursing, pharmacy and population health.
The money will support research into…