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
• Robin Harwick, PhD, MS, Research Scientist
• Lyndsey Kellum, MEd, Research Scientist, Program Evaluator
• Lisette Austin, MA, Project Director
• Erinn McGraw, BFA, Public Information Specialist
• Meg Brunner, MLIS, Information Specialist

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.

Biennial CERP Report 2021-2023

NEW! Our 2023 CERP Report 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.

This includes CERP intramural research projects, new publications, a report to WA State Legislature with policy recommendations to address the health risks of high-potency cannabis, updates to the Learn About Cannabis website, and numerous collaborative and consulting efforts with local, state, and international organizations.

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.

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)

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.

ADAI Research Symposium 2022

Our most recent 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.

High-THC Concentration Cannabis Reports & Resources

This page contains reports and summaries that describe what we know so far about the health-related risks of high-THC cannabis products. Included are the report mentioned above, Washington State HCA report to the legislature. High THC policy | Final report: Exploring policy solutions to address public health challenges of high THC products and 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.