This originally appeared at https://cannabis.ca.gov/2023/04/california-announces-20m-cannabis-research-grant-recipients/

Apr 25, 2023

Sixteen grant recipients will study medicinal use of cannabis, cannabis potency, health of the cannabis industry, monopolies and unfair competition, and California legacy genetics & genetic sequencing

CALIFORNIA – The California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) awarded $20 million in research grants to 16 academic institutions. These funds will support scientific research on the impact of cannabis on the mental health of young people, novel cannabinoids like Delta-8 and Delta-10 THC, and a first-of-its kind study of California’s legacy cannabis genetics, intended to preserve the history, value, and diversity of the communities that steward them.

“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,” said Rasha Salama, Chief Deputy Director at DCC. “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.”

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego will build on an existing federally funded project to provide California-specific data on the impact of cannabinoids on mental and physical health during adolescence. A team at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo will study how differences in local regulation can impact market power, create unfair competitive practices, and impact the growth of the California cannabis market. 

Several projects will examine the impacts of cannabis potency on human health. A collaboration between the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and University of California Irvine will conduct the first double-blind, placebo-controlled, federally compliant, drug-administration study evaluating the intoxicating effects of inhaled cannabis plant compared to inhaled concentrates. It is expected establish a clinically significant threshold to define high and low THC concentrations.

The following is a list of all awarded grants by category: 

Cannabis Potency 

Medicinal Use of Cannabis 

Health of the Cannabis Industry 

Monopolies and Unfair Competition 

California Legacy Genetics & Genetic Sequencing 

Other Research Topics 

Of the 98 proposals submitted for consideration, 16 proposals were awarded $19,942,918 in funding based on their strong scientific methodology, their ability to provide useful information for policymaking, their advancement of public understanding of cannabis, and their potential to generate foundational research that will support exponential future knowledge.