NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — The upcoming Yale Center for the Science of Cannabis and Cannabinoids will be dedicated to study both the acute and chronic effects of cannabis on neurodevelopment and mental health, the university announced this week.

The center, which will be underneath the Yale School of Medicine, will be funded by the university’s psychiatry department.

Research will be spearheaded by Dr. Deepak Cyril D’Souza and psychiatry professor Albert Kent, who is also a leading expert on the pharmacology of cannabinoids. D’Souza, the director of the Schizophrenia Neuropharmacology Research Group at Yale University, has previously told News 8 that there are links between youth cannabis use and an increase in mental health conditions and addiction.

D’Souza said there is an increasing number of women using cannabis during pregnancy in order to combat morning sickness. However, it’s not currently known what impact that has on the fetal brain.

The center will also look at the impact on the elderly.

“Obviously, we’ll never be able to do experimental studies in humans, just can’t do that,” D’Souza said. “And that’s where the center will bring together animal researchers and human researchers. So, the kinds of studies we cannot do in humans, we will propose doing in animals.”

While recreational use of cannabis was already legal in Connecticut, recreational sales began this month. Tens of thousands also saw their record expunged of cannabis offenses.

Sales topped $2 million in their first week.