UK sponsoring seminars on medical cannabis

Published 8:14 am Friday, August 18, 2023

By TOM LATEK

Kentucky Today

Medical cannabis becomes legal in Kentucky on July 1, 2024, after the passage of legislation this year by the General Assembly, so The University of Kentucky Cannabis Center is sponsoring a series of seminars featuring national and international experts on cannabis science.

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This series is to give UK students, faculty and the general public the chance to hear cutting-edge cannabinoid science across a wide variety of specialties (medicine, pharmacology, public health, impaired driving science, agriculture, legal and social justice).

The center, based in the UK College of Medicine’s Center on Drug and Alcohol Research, conducts research on the health effects of cannabis, including its risks and benefits when used to treat certain medical conditions.

The next seminar, later this month, will highlight the work of LaTrice Montgomery, Ph.D., a research associate professor and licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience in the College of Medicine at the University of Cincinnati.  Montgomery will present “Research Discoveries in the Recreational and Medical Worlds of Cannabis.”

Montgomery’s work primarily focuses on the co-use of marijuana and tobacco, especially via blunts, technology-based interventions for substance use disorders and advancing health equity.  She has presented her award-winning research at several regional and national conferences, and it has been published in top-tier journals, including Drug and Alcohol Dependence and the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.

“Dr. Montgomery’s work adds valuable data to this growing research landscape and helps us understand some of the real-world complexities surrounding cannabis use. We are grateful to give our colleagues at UK and members of the public interested the opportunity to hear from her,” said Center Director Shanna Babalonis, Ph.D. “This seminar series, and engaging with experts like Dr. Montgomery, helps us continue to the Center’s mission to accelerate cannabinoid science and conduct pertinent, top-tier research that directly addresses the health and well-being of the people of Kentucky.”

The seminar is co-sponsored by the UK Center for Health Equity Transformation, and will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, Aug. 22, from 11 a.m. to noon. For information on upcoming events, contact the UK Cannabis Center at cannabiscenter@uky.edu.