Cannabis Education & Research Program (CERP)
Who we are
The ADAI Cannabis Education & Research Program (CERP) is comprised of investigators and program staff who have come together to collaborate on research and dissemination activities in response to emerging needs of Washington State in the context of legalized cannabis.
Our team:
- Director: Beatriz Carlini, PhD, MPH, Research Associate Professor, UW Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
- Sharon Garrett, MPH, MA, Research Scientist
- Lyndsey Kellum, MEd, Research Scientist, Program Evaluator
- Erinn McGraw, BFA, Public Information Specialist
- Lexi Nims, MPHc, Graduate Research Assistant
- Meg Brunner, MLIS, Information Specialist
- Jason Williams, PhD, Research Scientist
What we do
The Cannabis Education & Research Program:
- Partners with state and county agencies and the legislature to conduct research projects that inform decision-making and priority-setting with the goal of advancing public health and safety in Washington State
- Develops educational and informational resources to disseminate science-based information to community organizations, health and educational professionals, policymakers, and the community at large
- Fosters collaborative research opportunities with researchers at the University of Washington, Washington State University, state agencies, and other groups
ADAI CERP has been partially funded by Washington State Dedicated Cannabis Fund for research at the University of Washington since July 2015.
2024 ADAI Research Symposium
Our 2024 symposium was held on September 19, 2024 and titled: Cannabis, Schizophrenia, and Other Psychotic Disorders: Moving Away from Reefer Madness Toward Science.
Previous Symposia Slides & Recordings
Find slides and recordings from our previous cannabis-focused research symposia here:
Learn About Cannabis – WA
The Learn About Cannabis website was developed in 2015 in response to a legislative mandate that partially funds ADAI for the “creation, maintenance, and timely updating of web-based public education materials providing medically and scientifically accurate information about the health and safety risks posed by cannabis use.”
This website includes factsheets; resources for parents, teens, and adult consumers; and information about cannabis products, health effects, addiction, and legal and safety issues. [visit site]
Biennial Reports
Our last report, the 2023 CERP Report, describes research studies, outreach and collaborations, and information products completed during the 2021-2023 biennium with support from the Cannabis Dedicated Fund and other sources.
See also:
2019-2021 Report | 2017-2019 Report | 2015-2017 Report
High THC Policy | Final Report: Exploring Policy Solutions to Address Public Health Challenges of High THC Products
To address this emerging public safety challenge of increasingly available high-THC products (e.g. dabs, wax, concentrates), the WA State Health Care Authority was directed by ESSB 5092 (2021) to contract with the University of Washington’s Addictions, Drug & Alcohol Institute (ADAI) to identify areas of common ground and consensus, and develop recommendations for state policies related to cannabis concentration and mitigating detrimental health impacts.
The final report to the legislature, published in December 2022, describes recommendations for state policies based on the perspectives of WA stakeholders, research evidence on public policies designed to mitigate harms associated with non-medical use of high THC cannabis products and other legally commercialized health-compromising products, and cannabis policies that have been considered or adopted in North America.
Report citation: Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) & University of Washington Addictions, Drug & Alcohol Institute (ADAI). Washington State HCA report to the legislature. High THC policy | Final report: Exploring policy solutions to address public health challenges of high THC products. Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5092; Section 215(55); Chapter 334; Laws of 2021. Olympia, WA; Washington State Health Care Authority, December 2022.
Related resources:
- Report Addresses Mental Health Risks of High-THC Cannabis (UW Medicine piece about this report and CERP Director Beatriz Carlini, PhD, MPH)
- Cannabis Concentration and Health Risks: A Report for the Washington State Prevention Research Subcommittee. Published in November 2020, this Consensus Report was developed by a workgroup of research scientists from the University of Washington (UW) and Washington State University (WSU) with the intent of providing policy makers with a summary of the current evidence on topics of public health importance related to cannabis concentration.
Medicinal Cannabis and Chronic Pain: Science-Based Education in Times of Legalization
Developed for health professionals and updated in 2020, the Medicinal Cannabis and Chronic Pain online training presents current information and clinical practice guidelines on the use of medicinal cannabis for the treatment of chronic pain.
The first module is a basic primer on the mechanism of action of medicinal cannabis, its medical uses, and Washington State law. The second module focuses on the best clinical practices associated with the recommendation of medicinal cannabis. This training will also provide tools that may be useful to health care providers in their discussion with patients about the use of medicinal cannabis in the treatment of chronic pain.
ADAI Cannabis Small Grants Program
Funds from the Washington State Dedicated Marijuana Fund have been used to support research across a broad range of study related to cannabis use, from basic pharmacology to clinical and psychosocial research. These grants are available to UW researchers only.
Find the list of funded projects here.
