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.