SB 18-271

Senate Bill 18-271, which has been signed into law, aims to improve funding and flexibility for marijuana research in Colorado. It allows researchers to transfer unused marijuana within the regulated industry and co-locate at manufacturers of medical or retail marijuana products. The bill also removes limits on transferring funds from the state's marijuana tax fund to a health research account dedicated to medical marijuana studies, providing $3 million initially and allowing ongoing annual spending for administrative purposes related to these grants. This means more money will be available for researchers studying the effects and uses of medical marijuana in Colorado.

Official Summary

Subject to rules of the marijuana enforcement division, the bill authorizes: Marijuana research and development licensees and marijuana research and development cultivation licensees (research licensees) to transfer unused marijuana within the regulated marijuana industry; and Research licensees to be co-located at the premises of a medical marijuana-infused products manufacturer or a retail marijuana products manufacturer. The general appropriations bill transferred $3 million from the marijuana tax cash fund to the health research subaccount of the medical marijuana program cash fund (subaccount). The bill strikes the limitation of the amount of transfers to the subaccount and extends the repeal of the medical marijuana program cash fund until September 1, 2023. The bill authorizes $100,000 to be spent annually from the subaccount for administrative purposes related to the medical marijuana research grant program. The bill appropriates $10,656 from the marijuana tax cash fund to the department of revenue to purchase legal services related to the bill. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

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