Sharon B. Garrett MPH, MA
Sharon Garrett, MPH, MA is a Research Scientist at the University of Washington’s Addictions, Drug & Alcohol Institute (ADAI). Ms. Garrett is Co-Director of ADAI’s Cannabis Education & Research Program (CERP) and Project Director in the PNW Node of the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN).
At CERP, Ms. Garrett has collaborated on various projects exploring public health impacts of cannabis legalization in WA State. She has co-developed three online trainings; a CME course for healthcare providers on the use of cannabis to treat chronic pain, and two cannabis education online resources designed for helpline staff and for the public. She has also contributed to projects funded by the University of Washington’s Cannabis Dedicated Account to better understand adult cannabis use in the context of legalization, including focus groups with adult cannabis users, cannabis retail store staff, and parents who use cannabis. In 2022, she was part of the team that evaluated policy options for reducing harm related to high-THC products, resulting in a package of recommendations for the WA State legislature. She was designated Co-Director in August 2026, where she is currently focused on exploring the impacts on and responses to cannabis-related adverse events in WA State health care systems.
As Project Director in the PNW Node of the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN) she has overseen the implementation of multiple protocols evaluating psychosocial and pharmacotherapy interventions for treating substance use disorders. She also participates in the CTN PNW Node Community Engagement subcommittee and contributes to the organization and maintenance of the PNW Node Community Advisory Board which was established in 2023 as a conduit connecting UW research with the needs of community partners.
Ms. Garrett is Vice-Chair of UW’s Institutional Review Board – Committee J, where she reviews studies involving human subjects from across the university to ensure ethical treatment of study participants.
Titles
Research Scientist, Addictions, Drug and Alcohol Institute (ADAI)
Project Director, NIDA’s Clinical Trials Network PNW Node
Co-Director, ADAI Cannabis Education and Research Program (CERP)
Education
BS, Cognitive Psychology, University of Washington
MA, Education & Community, Antioch University
MPH, Social and Behavioral Science Track, University of Washington
ORCID: 0000-0002-7076-3631
Recent Publications
- Carlini BH, Kellum LB, Garrett SB, Williams JR. Cannabis-related problems, adverse events, clinical experiences and barriers to intervening: Perspectives of health care providers in Washington State. Substance Use & Addiction Journal 2026;47(3):852-863. [doi: 10.1177/29767342261426116] PMID: 41910114
- Carlini BH, Williams JR, Garrett SB, Hammond D. People with psychotic disorders are the most vulnerable to cannabis adverse health outcomes: A study in WA State, USA. Community Mental Health Journal 2026;62:889-895. [doi: 10.1007/s10597-025-01579-1]
- Kellum LB, Carlini BH, Garrett S. Assessing Engagement in Cannabis Policy: A Survey of Washington State Elected Officials. Seattle, WA: Addictions, Drug & Alcohol Institute, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Washington, May 2025
- Garrett SB, Williams J, Carlini BH, Hammond D. Cannabis consumer patterns, adverse events, and cannabis risk beliefs: A latent profile analysis in WA State. Drug and Alcohol Dependence 2025;273:112728. [doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2025.112728]
- Carlini BH, Garrett SB, Matos P, Nims LN, Kestens Y. Identifying policy options to regulate high potency cannabis: A multiple stakeholder concept mapping study in Washington State, USA. International Journal of Drug Policy 2024;123:104270. [doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104270] PMID: 38043404
Research Interests
- Increase our understanding of the impacts of substance use on individuals, communities, and health systems
- Contribute to science that will improve the health of people who are affected by substance use
- Research ethics
Activities
- Member: King County Youth Marijuana Prevention & Education Program Planning Steering Committee, 2018-2021
- Committee Member: UW IRB Committees C (2012-2014) & J (2014-2023); Vice-Chair UW IRB Committee J (2024-present)
Research & Other Projects
Cannabis Adverse Events Among Medicaid Recipients in WA State
Status: current
NIDA Clinical Trials Network (CTN), Pacific Northwest Node
Status: current
Cannabis Industry Rhetoric to Defeat Public Health-Oriented Regulations
Status: completed
Cannabis Industry Marketing Violations in Washington State, 2014–2019
Status: completed
NIDA CTN-0048: Cocaine Use Reduction with Buprenorphine (CURB)
Status: completed
Consumers’ Perspectives on the Function of Marijuana in Their Lives
Status: completed
