Cannabis research is more robust than ever, yet most of it never leaves the academic world. Policymakers make decisions without it. Reporters have hours to digest work that took years. Advocates may not even know it exists. This quarterly Parabola Center webinar, moderated by Shaleen Title, brings together three people working different sides of that problem.
Dr. Faith English (Johns Hopkins, Parabola Center) lays out practical ways advocates and organizations can build research partnerships, from university matchmaking platforms to intern pipelines. Dr. Julie K. Johnson (Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission) describes running an evidence-based research mandate on zero funding and announces the launch of a new Center for Cannabis Research and Policy. Ben Adlin (Law360, formerly Marijuana Moment and Leafly) explains how newsrooms decide what to cover and how embargoes, press release structure, and reporter relationships can make or break whether your work gets covered.
The Q&A takes on rescheduling versus descheduling, the failure of abstinence-only youth cannabis messaging, and the Massachusetts ballot initiative to close retail stores.
