California Funds Cannabis Policy Research To Protect 'Legacy' Strains And More

The California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) is soliciting proposals for research projects that advance public understanding of cannabis and its legalization.

The DCC announced on Wednesday that it will be awarding up to $20 million in marijuana tax-funded grants to universities that conduct research into cannabis science and policy—including studies on preventing monopolies in the legal industry and securing the genetics of “legacy” strains.

“DCC will fund up to $20 million in cannabis-related academic research by California public universities and is prioritizing topics that will be instrumental in addressing gaps in scientific knowledge and guiding future policy decisions,” stated the Department in a press release.

DCC director Nicole Elliot responded.

“California continues to direct millions of dollars to accelerate scientific understanding of cannabis and evaluate the impacts of legalization. Decades of federal cannabis prohibition has hindered our collective knowledge related to these issues, to the detriment of consumers, communities, our environment and more. Our hope is that research resulting from these grants proves beneficial not only to California policymakers but also to those across the nation and world,” Elliot said.

The DCC has identified specific research topics that will be prioritized for grant funding of topics which “will advance understanding of cannabis, address existing research gaps, and inform policymakers.” DCC’s academic research grants are funded by cannabis taxes enacted by Proposition 64 (2016), which legalized adult-use cannabis and decriminalized personal possession of cannabis.

Cannabis Public Policy

The prioritized topics examine cannabis potency and health impacts, the health of California’s cannabis industry, monopolies and unfair competition, legacy cannabis genetics, and medicinal use of cannabis.

The priority research topics were developed in consultation with other California state agencies that oversee cannabis activities and were selected to inform future policymaking and better preserve California’s historical information.

“Although grant funding is not limited to the identified topics, their prioritization provides additional direction to prospective grantees eager to help state cannabis leaders close gaps in research. The resulting research and data would continue to inform and support the creation of a safe, sustainable, and equitable cannabis market that protects people, safeguards the environment, and provides adult access to safe, tested products,” per the release.

Grant proposals will be accepted from November 1 until November 30, 2022. Awarded research projects will be announced in early February 2023. 

Photo by Spencer DeMera on Unsplash.