USA: Chicago hosts the first Cannabis Research Institute

The City of Chicago, Illinois, and the Discovery Partners Institute announced the launch of the Cannabis Research Institute, a first-of-its-kind center on the West Coast that aims to advance Illinois' global position as a center of science.

The Cannabis Research Institute (CRI) is a joint effort to provide a robust body of research in order to advance public knowledge about the scientific and socio-economic impacts of cannabis use and production. The agreement will allow the new institute to leverage the offices, staff and resources of the Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) in Chicago.

"This is a tremendous opportunity to not only promote Chicago as the hottest center for cannabis research, but also to expand the breadth of knowledge and science needed to shape policy," said Chicago Mayor Lori E .Lightfoot. “Our city is the perfect location, as we are home to an impressive center of innovation and world-class universities and research institutions. Harnessing and coordinating our city's resources to create a world-class cannabis research center will create waves in this new industry and set the precedent in cannabis research nationwide.”

Despite overwhelming public support for medicinal and recreational legalization, cannabis remains illegal at the federal level, and the federal government maintains restrictive policies and regulations on research on the health, harm, or benefit of cannabis products. As a result, research on the health effects of cannabis has been limited in the United States, depriving patients, healthcare professionals, consumers and policymakers of the evidence they need to make sound decisions regarding its use.

CRI will promote partnerships and collaborations with a variety of stakeholders, including representatives from the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago, to ensure that cannabis research informs regulation and policy to protect public health and safety; encourage medical, scientific and technological advancement; and address social issues about the impacts of new markets and policies.

To this end, the DPI will assemble and lead an investigation team that brings together research institutions, government agencies, companies and communities. “We have years of experience building research teams across disciplines and institutions,” said Bill Jackson, executive director of DPI. "We are excited to create new territories and partnerships, and conduct research that will make our city safer and healthier – and our society more equal."

Future research will be broad and will cover topics on social equity impacts, medicinal and health effects, and crop cultivation practices. Example topics include social and community impacts of cannabis legalization, demographic gap analysis of medical cannabis programs, efficacy of cannabis and cannabinoids in medical conditions such as alleviating anxiety and reducing inflammation, public health impacts of legalizing recreational use of cannabis, and even the varietal improvement of plants under controlled environmental conditions.

The CRI will work closely with the Director of Regulatory Oversight for Cannabis, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and other regulatory agencies.