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Medical Marijuana Program Info

Background

On June 29, 2015, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal signed Senate Bill 143 (Act 261, also known as the “Alison Neustrom Act”) into law, establishing a framework for the legal production and sale of medical marijuana products. In May 2016, Governor John Edwards signed Senate Bill 271 (Act 96) into law, allowing physicians to ‘recommend’ medical marijuana to qualifying patients instead of ‘prescribing,’ which had previously created legal barriers to patient access and physician participation. The following month, the governor also signed Senate Bill 180 (Act 343), creating legal protections for qualified patients in possession of medical marijuana. These bills collectively ensure that patients may legally access medical marijuana under the state’s program, while providing a market for legally-produced medical marijuana.

One of the provisions of Act 96 grants the right of first refusal for producing medical marijuana products to either (or mutually) Louisiana State University Agricultural Center (“LSU AgCenter”) and Southern University Agricultural Center (“SU AgCenter”). In June 2016, the Southern University Board of Supervisors notified the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry that they had approved a measure authorizing the institution to establish a medical marijuana production facility, pursuant to Act 96.

The SU Ag Center is now soliciting applications from private organizations to enter into a public-private partnership with Southern University. This Request for Applications (RFA) is intended to provide Applicants with necessary information and instructions to apply to become the sole operator of the SU Medical Marijuana Cultivation and Production Facility (“Facility”). Interested parties should review this Request for Applications (RFA) and submit their application in accordance with the instructions provided herein. 

Southern University and the Agricultural Research and Extension Center

The SU Ag Center solicited applications from private organizations to enter into a public-private partnership with Southern University. This Request for Applications (RFA) is intended to provide Applicants with necessary information and instructions to apply to become the sole operator of the SU Medical Marijuana Cultivation and Production Facility (“Facility”). Interested parties should review this Request for Applications (RFA) and submit their application in accordance with the instructions provided herein.

The Center's programs are multi-disciplinary with collaboration among research scientists and cooperative extension personnel from SU and the LSU AgCenter. Programs in the Center focus on, but are not limited to; Sustainable Agricultural Systems, Nutrition & Health, Family & Human Development, Urban Forestry & Natural Resources, Youth Development, and Economic & Community Development.

The SU Ag Center identifies many opportunities and synergies with the planned Facility and its current agricultural research programs. The expertise of the SU AgCenter will be harnessed to identify new beneficial medical marijuana plant strains and products. Collaboration with other departments will allow further research into the social and public health outcomes associated with the medical marijuana program and products. SU anticipates a profitable and mutually beneficial public-private partnership that will advance university educational and financial goals.

 


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