Our American States
While cannabis remains illegal under federal law, states have regulated cannabis for nearly 30 years. But policymakers have had few evidence-based policy tools to inform them. More than two-thirds of the states and territories regulate cannabis for medical use and more than 20 states and territories allow for nonmedical adult use.
Michael Sofis, Ph.D., director of research for the Cannabis Public Policy Consulting, is one of the few researchers looking at the policy issues of concern to lawmakers. His firm does extensive surveying around public policy affecting cannabis.
On this podcast, he discusses some of the surprises from his findings, the questions states are trying to answer and explains why the cannabis illicit market still does a brisk business even in places where it’s legal.
You can learn more about the policy issues surrounding cannabis during the session “Growing Fields of Data: Public Health and Cannabis Policy” at NCSL’s Legislative Summit Aug. 3 from 1:30-2:45 p.m. at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.
NCSL tracks and assists legislators with their questions about many policy topics, including state regulation of cannabis. NCSL takes no position on individual state cannabis policies. The federal Controlled Substances Act lists cannabis in Schedule I, with heroin, LSD, ecstasy and other products considered to have the highest potential for abuse with no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States
This podcast is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $563,000 with 100% funded by CDC/HHS. The contents were created by NCSL and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.
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