HB2784 Summary

• Establishes the Arizona Biomedical Research Centre to provide competitive grants from the medical marijuana fund for marijuana research studies, including clinical testing for safety and efficacy.

• Requires funded research studies to be conducted by Arizona-based researchers, approved by an institutional review board, and publishable in peer-reviewed medical and public health journals.

• Provides legal exemption from prosecution under Arizona law for grant recipients and their employees possessing marijuana when conducting approved research studies.

• Allocates up to $5,000,000 annually for five consecutive years from the medical marijuana fund for grants, with no more than 5% used for administrative purposes.

• Amends the medical marijuana fund statute to explicitly allow monies to be used for marijuana research grants pursuant to the new section.