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 the community in the context of legalized cannabis.
Our team:
- Director: Beatriz Carlini, PhD, MPH, Acting Associate Professor, UW Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
- Sharon Garrett, MPH, MA, Research Scientist, UW ADAI
- Robin Harwick, PhD, MS, Research Scientist, UW ADAI
- Lexi Nims, BA, Research Coordinator, UW ADAI
- Erinn McGraw, BFA, Public Information Specialist, UW ADAI
- Meg Brunner, MLIS, Information Specialist, UW ADAI
What we do
The Cannabis Education & Research Program:
- carries out and publishes results of intramural research
- conducts scientific literature reviews on trending topics
- develops research-based fact sheets, policy briefs, and trainings
- 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.
High THC Policy | Final Report (DRAFT): 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.
This DRAFT report describes the 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. The final report will be presented to the WA State Legislature and be available to the public in January 2023.
Related resources:
- Report Addresses Mental Health Risks of High-THC Cannabis (UW Medicine piece about this report and CERP Director Beatriz Carlini, PhD, MPH
- Leaked Report Shows Heightened Scrutiny of Marijuana’s Rising Potency (Bloomberg article about this report)
ADAI Research Symposium 2022
This year’s symposium was held on September 16, 2022, with a focus on the short and long-term risks of high-THC products, including conversations about policy-focused solutions and ways to increase awareness through education campaigns for providers, parents, and youth.
Find recordings and slides here.
Previous Symposia Slides & Recordings
Find slides and recordings from our previous cannabis-focused research symposia here:
Interim Biennial Marijuana Research Report 2019-2021
NEW! Our 2019-2021 Interim Marijuana Research Report describes research studies, outreach and collaborations, and information products completed during the 2019-2021 biennium with support from the Washington State Dedicated Marijuana Fund. This includes funding 4 intramural research projects, 6 new publications, a consensus statement and report on high-potency cannabis, updates to the Learn About Cannabis website and the Medicinal Cannabis and Chronic Pain online training, and numerous collaborative and consulting efforts with local, state, and international organizations. See also: 2017-2019 Report | 2015-2017 Report.
High-THC Concentration Cannabis
This page contains recent reports and summaries that describe what we know so far about the health-related risks of high-THC cannabis products, including a November 2020 consensus statement and report 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. [visit page]
Learn About Cannabis
The Learn About Cannabis website presents science-based information about cannabis for a general audience. Includes factsheets, special pages for parents and teens, information for adult consumers, cannabis laws in Washington, and online e-learning products, like the Learn About Cannabis video series for a general audience, and the Medicinal Cannabis & Chronic Pain training for providers. [visit site]
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.
