The California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) awarded $20 million in research grants to 16 academic institutions to support cannabis scientific research.
The grant funds will support a range of cannabis research, including studying cannabis’ potency, its medicinal benefits, California’s cannabis genetics, cannabinoids such as Delta-8 and Delta-10 THC, cannabis’ impact on the mental health of young people, and more.
The 16 institutions were selected from 98 submitted proposals, and were awarded a combined $19,942,918 in research grants.
“It is the Department’s aspiration that these studies will advance the body of scientific research, further our understanding of cannabis, and aid to the continued development and refinement of the legal framework,” DCC Chief Deputy Director Rasha Salama said in a news release. “These studies will provide valuable insights on topics of interest to California’s consumers, businesses, and policy makers and the Department looks forward to sharing them once they are completed.”
Eight grants totaling $10,173,826 were awarded to study cannabis potency, specifically. Those grants were awarded to:
- UC Irvine, $2 million, A Translational Study on the Short and Long-term Effects of High-dose THC
- UCLA, $2 million, An Evaluation of Synthetic and Semi-Synthetic Cannabinoids
- UCLA, $1,832,997, The Adverse Effects of Inhaled Cannabis Concentrates (dabs) Compared to Smoked Cannabis: A controlled human-drug administration study of cannabis potency
- UCLA, $1,662,744, Interactions Between delta-9-THC and CBD: A Controlled Human Drug-administration Study Probing a Harm Reduction Strategy
- UC San Francisco, $904,052, The Impacts of the Potency of Cannabis Concentrates and THC Metabolism on Cognitive Impairment in Young Adults
- UC Davis, $856,881, Chemistry, Toxicology, and Brain Disposition of Cannabinoids, Novel Cannabinoids, and Mixtures in Electronic Cigarettes
- UC San Diego, $676,735, Longitudinal outcomes related to cannabis potency and toxicological analysis and cognitive, brain, and psychiatric functioning in young adult cannabis users
- UC San Diego, $240,417, Longitudinal Associations of Cannabis Use and Mental Health Among Adolescents
Two grants totaling $2,287,427 were awarded to study the medicinal use of cannabis. Those grants were awarded to:
- UCLA, $1,849,962, Cannabis use for medicinal purposes among clinical populations in California: Population estimates of prevalence, frequency, quantity, and reasons for use
- UCLA, $437,465, The State of Medical Cannabis in California
Two grants totaling $1,299,677 were awarded to study cannabis monopolies and unfair competition. Those grants were awarded to:
- UC Berkeley, $855,034
- Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, $444,643, Local Regulations, Market Power, and the Evolution of the California Cannabis Industry
Regarding California’s cannabis genetics, one grant totaling $2,699,178 was awarded to Cal Poly Humboldt to study Legacy Cannabis Genetics: People and their Plants, a Community-Driven Study.
As for the cannabis industry’s health, one grant totaling $1,679,972 was awarded to UCLA to study Assessing the Health of California’s Cannabis Industry.
Two additional grants totaling $1,672,451 were also awarded to UC Berkeley; one to studyLicensed and Unlicensed Cultivation Across Banned and Permitted Jurisdictions ($1,042,321) and the other to study Hmong diasporas and cannabis: medicinal use, criminal justice consequences, and farm structure across licensed and unlicensed geographies ($630,130).
