Regulations & Policy    

 

The Regulation & Policy Track focuses on the evolving federal, state, and local frameworks governing cannabis and hemp, including licensing systems, product standards, intoxicating hemp, market oversight, enforcement structures, and public health protections. The emphasis is on how policy decisions are made and how legal changes affect governments, businesses, researchers, and communities.

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Cannabis In Indian Country

Cannabis in Indian Country represents one of the most dynamic and least understood areas of the U.S. cannabis landscape. This session brings together legal experts, tribal operators, and researchers to examine the evolving frameworks around the sovereign tribal market. As is often necessary when discussing sovereignty, Indian Law, or Tribal governance, the session will include primers on sovereignty and the historical and legal justifications for such. This session will incorporate this necessary background information as a lens to become familiar with the development of the sovereign cannabis market across the United States. The session will then explore how federal law, tribal sovereignty, and state cannabis regimes intersect and how these interactions shape cannabis policy, regulation, and business activity in Indian Country. The session will also discuss the current landscape of cannabis operations among federally recognized tribes and the ever-evolving developments in this area. Presentations and discussions will explore how tribes have approached cannabis governance and operations under differing legal and regulatory conditions, highlighting variation across jurisdictions. In addition, the session will consider opportunities for cooperative efforts between tribes and states on cannabis licensing, regulation, and market participation. Particular attention will be given to how research and data can inform policy development and support constructive dialogue, while respecting tribal sovereignty and self-determination.

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Engineering Trust in Cannabis: A Systems-Level Framework for Quality, Safety, and Public Health

Engineering Trust in Cannabis: A Systems-Level Framework for Quality, Safety, and Public Health brings together academic scientists and regulatory leaders to address cannabis quality as an integrated public health infrastructure challenge. As the cannabis marketplace expands and products diversify, variability in genetics, contamination risk, and testing standards threatens not only consumer safety and regulatory credibility, but also the rigor and reproducibility of scientific research. High-quality, well-characterized products are essential for generating valid clinical and translational evidence. This session will examine how molecular genetic fingerprinting can enable robust track-and-trace systems, and how advanced analytical chemistry—using pesticide detection and risk assessment as a representative case study—illustrates broader challenges in contaminant control, exposure assessment, and laboratory standardization. Regulatory science perspectives will demonstrate how testing standards translate into enforceable public health protections. By integrating biology, chemistry, research standards, and oversight frameworks, this symposium advances a coordinated systems-level model for accountability, transparency, and scientific integrity across both commercial and research cannabis products.

 

Engineering Trust in Cannabis: A Systems-Level Framework for Quality, Safety, and Public Health

 

1. Intro; Scientific and Regulatory Foundations 

2.  Genetic Fingerprinting and Track-and-Trace: Building Molecular Chain-of-Custody Systems for Cannabis Products (UC Riverside/UC Berkeley Study Group)

3.  Detection, Quantification, and Risk Assessment of Pesticides in Commercial Cannabis Products (UCSD)

4.  Regulatory Science in Action: Advancing Public Health Through Cannabis Testing Standards (California DCC)

5.  Panel Discussion on Integrating Biology, Chemistry, and Regulatory Oversight

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From Policy to Practice: Scaling Medical Cannabis and Emerging Therapeutics Through Municipal Health Plans — A New Jersey Case Study    

This session will present a first-of-its-kind, real-world implementation model demonstrating how medical cannabis—and now emerging alternative therapeutics—can be successfully integrated into municipal employee health plans to improve outcomes while reducing long-term healthcare costs. Our multidisciplinary team played a central role in advancing the history of cannabis in New Jersey by helping establish medical cannabis as a covered employee health benefit for the City of Trenton and for two Boards of Education in Teaneck and Orange. These initiatives created a scalable framework for delivering alternative therapies through existing municipal insurance structures, offering a practical pathway for public-sector adoption.. The panel will walk attendees through the full lifecycle of this model: stakeholder engagement, regulatory navigation, labor and benefits alignment, insurer collaboration, program design, and implementation. We will share lessons learned, operational challenges, outcome metrics, and early indicators of cost savings and improved employee well-being.

Building on this success, the same framework is now being applied to additional municipalities across New Jersey and other states, while expanding into psychedelic-assisted therapies. These modalities are increasingly recognized as safe and efficacious options for conditions such as PTSD, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and substance use disorder—particularly among first responders, educators, healthcare workers, and veterans. Attendees will gain insight into how municipal health plans can serve as powerful vehicles for innovation, harm reduction, and equitable access to alternative treatments. This session offers a replicable roadmap for public and private sector leaders seeking to integrate evidence-informed cannabis and emerging therapeutics into employee benefits at scale.

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From Retail to Experience: the Regulatory Evolution of Cannabis Hospitality   

As adult-use cannabis markets mature, policymakers are entering a new phase of regulatory design: cannabis hospitality and licensed public consumption. Initial legalization frameworks centered on cultivation, processing, and retail access. Increasingly, however, jurisdictions are evaluating whether and how to authorize on-site consumption lounges, event-based permits, integrated hospitality models, and tourism-oriented cannabis experiences. This curated session explores the regulatory evolution from retail-only systems to structured consumption environments. The session may include a combination of individual research presentations and panel dialogue examining zoning authority, municipal control, public health safeguards, ventilation and safety standards, impaired driving considerations, taxation models, labor implications, and social equity access to hospitality licenses. Comparative case studies from early adopters such as California and Colorado, alongside emerging policy efforts in newer markets, will provide data-driven insight into implementation challenges, enforcement realities, community response, and economic impact. The session also welcomes scholarship analyzing constitutional, administrative, and public health dimensions of regulated consumption spaces. By convening researchers, regulators, legal scholars, and policy-informed industry practitioners, this session aims to surface best practices, clarify unresolved regulatory tensions, and identify critical research gaps shaping the next stage of cannabis market development. As states and municipalities consider how hospitality fits within broader legalization frameworks, rigorous policy analysis is essential to balancing public safety, economic development, and long-term market stability.

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From Rulemaking to Reality: a Facilitated Synthesis of the Regulation & Policy Track

This facilitated review session brings together the Regulation & Policy Track in a structured synthesis of the most significant regulatory and policy insights emerging across the conference. Facilitated by Jenny Leis, the session distills key themes from panels, workshops, and discussions, focusing on how cannabis and drug policy is being designed, implemented, and adapted across federal, state, and local systems. Rather than revisiting individual presentations, the discussion highlights cross-cutting regulatory questions: how agencies are responding to scientific uncertainty; how federal–state tensions are shaping enforcement and compliance; where regulatory frameworks are converging or diverging; and which policy tools are proving resilient under political and legal pressure. Special attention will be given to developments such as federal rescheduling, hemp and novel cannabinoid regulation, public health integration, workplace policy, and market oversight. Audience engagement is central to the session. Guided facilitation will invite participants to reflect on what the track’s programming collectively reveals about regulatory capacity, unintended consequences, and policy design tradeoffs. The goal is to move beyond siloed rulemaking discussions toward a holistic understanding of how cannabis regulation functions in practice. Designed for regulators, policymakers, researchers, industry compliance professionals, and advocates, this capstone session provides a clear, integrated perspective on where cannabis policy is heading—and where regulatory assumptions may need recalibration.

 

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Legalization Lessons Learned: State Wins, Warnings, and What Comes Next    "Legalization Lessons Learned: State Wins, Warnings, and What Comes Next

As more states move from prohibition to regulation, the cannabis industry is now rich with real-world lessons. This panel brings together experienced voices from New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Ohio, and potentially California to examine what actually worked and what clearly did not as legal cannabis programs took shape. Rather than rehashing theory or idealized models, this discussion focuses on lived experience. Panelists will explore early policy decisions, regulatory structures, licensing models, equity frameworks, taxation, local control, and market timing. The conversation will highlight smart strategies that improved patient access, consumer safety, and business viability, alongside missteps that led to delays, bottlenecks, confusion, or unintended consequences. Attendees will leave with practical insights into how state-level decisions shape outcomes for operators, educators, regulators, and communities. This session is designed for industry leaders, policymakers, and educators who want to understand not just where cannabis legalization is headed, but how to do it better. The goal is straightforward, though not simple: to answer the question, What can we learn from states that have already legalized cannabis, and how can those lessons inform states that are still in process or preparing to legalize?

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Public Health Implications of Adult-Use Cannabis Legalization in the US    

The legalization of adult-use cannabis in the US has expanded to 24 states, with many states passing these laws in the past five years. In addition, the 2018 Federal Farm Bill descheduled hemp, allowing the proliferation of intoxicating hemp-derived THC products across many states. This rapidly changing policy landscape raises many important research questions. Although some studies have assessed how these laws have affected public health in both positive and negative ways, more research is needed. Assessing the various impacts of the changing policy landscape on public health is important, as some states grapple with how to equitably implement these laws to best promote health and as other states consider passing new cannabis legislation. Adult-use cannabis legalization and hemp deregulation can affect many aspects of public health. Negative effects may be increased use among underage youth, increases in misuse and abuse, and decreases in traffic safety. Positive or mixed effects may be seen in areas such as mental health, law enforcement practices, economic conditions and health professionals’ awareness and knowledge pertaining to cannabis use. Challenges to this research are many, including having adequate measurements of cannabis use and public health outcomes, and consideration of effects across various outcomes and populations. This session will explore aspects of the implementation and effects of adult-use cannabis legalization and hemp deregulation on the nation’s public health.

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Raising the Bar: Improving Cannabinoid Product Safety, Potency Label Accuracy, and Analytical Testing Standards    

This session highlights current challenges and innovations in cannabis product testing, including potency inflation, method variability, contamination risks, new analytical approaches, and pathways toward harmonized, evidence‑based standards. Topics may include interlaboratory variability, novel assay platforms, method validation, and the impact of inaccurate labeling on public health and clinical outcomes.

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Regulating in Times of Change: Insights and Lessons Learned from Marijuana and Hemp Regulators
The Cannabis Regulators Association (CANNRA) will moderate this session, which will include marijuana and cannabinoid hemp regulators from across the country. Regulators will share data, information, and insights about the biggest regulatory challenges they face, including: regulating hemp-derived cannabinoid products, approaches to improve lab testing accuracy and data on marijuana products, regulating new and emerging product forms (like dual-cartridge vapes, a growing THC beverage marketplace, and more), and enforcement approaches to address bad actors and illicit market activity. This session will highlight differences across state markets, underscore the similarities in challenges, the need for new research to guide regulatory science, and the importance of cross-government collaboration.

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Regulatory Oversight Gaps and Public Health Risk in the Hemp-Derived Era

As federal and state governments reassess cannabis and hemp regulatory frameworks, a parallel governance challenge has emerged: hemp-derived cannabinoid products, particularly non-intoxicating formulations, are increasingly used with therapeutic intent while remaining regulated primarily as consumer wellness goods. This divergence between regulatory classification and real-world use creates structural oversight gaps. While enforcement attention has focused on intoxicating hemp derivatives, less scrutiny has been applied to non-intoxicating cannabinoid products that consumers routinely use for pain, anxiety, sleep, and inflammatory conditions. In the absence of uniform federal product standards, predictable public health vulnerabilities arise, including inconsistent potency verification, variability in contaminants, imprecise dosing, ambiguous drug interactions, and marketing that implies therapeutic benefit without formal regulatory alignment. From a clinical and governance perspective, this creates a policy paradox: products functioning as quasi-therapeutic agents operate outside the standardized guardrails of pharmaceuticals or dietary supplements. Current federal and state frameworks allocate oversight unevenly, leaving gaps in labeling standards, quality control, enforcement clarity, and adverse event reporting. This session examines how regulatory architecture can mature in response to evolving market behavior. It explores risk-based approaches to product standards, labeling requirements, enforcement alignment, and public health protections that balance consumer access with patient safety. Clarifying product standards and oversight expectations also provides regulatory certainty for businesses, guidance for researchers, and clearer protections for communities navigating rapidly evolving cannabinoid markets. The objective is policy coherence—aligning governance design with the realities of therapeutic use in the hemp-derived marketplace.

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State Regulation of Marijuana and Hemp in the Wake of Gonzalez v. Raich    

In Gonzalez v. Raich, 545 U.S. 1 (2005), the U.S. Supreme Court determined that Congress may criminalize the production of homegrown Cannabis, even if a state law protected its growth and consumption for medical purposes, and the patients never had any intention of selling or otherwise transferring the material to other states.  This watershed decision was, at the time, thought by many to sound the death knell for Cannabis legal reform.  Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, in her dissenting opinion, decried the decision as having “extinguished the experiment” among states, allowing Congress the power to regulate intrastate activity “without check.”   It seemed as if Cannabis legal reform were dead. Much to the surprise of liberalization proponents, Cannabis Legal Reform did not die in the wake of Gonzalez v. Raich; instead, with gathering momentum, it gained new life and flourished.  The progress achieved by states to end the War on Drugs in the face of continuing federal prohibition raises questions about how law and policy may continue to evolve towards the creation of truly national markets in Cannabis. This session brings together thought leaders in Cannabis regulation to test the boundaries of state-regulated Cannabis markets in the wake of the Gonzalez v. Raich.  and the ever-evolving interplay among principles of federalism, federal-state preemption, the Commerce Clause in the U.S. Constitution, state-initiated regulatory experiments, and law enforcement.  Topics explored may include decriminalization of Cannabis; gun rights under the Second Amendment; the limits of federal-state preemption, the police powers of state government; medical necessity and prosecutorial discretion.

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Was Legalizing Adult Use of Cannabis the Right Decision?

As cannabis continues to permeate society, questions about the true benefits of the drug, along with societal implications for its use, have been swirling around the industry. In fact, the topic of prohibition has even been raised, with some individuals feeling that recreational legalization was a mistake. The purpose of this session is to present papers that reflect the various perspectives on this topic. The goal is to generate discourse on the positives and negatives of the legalization of adult-use cannabis with a goal of identifying the important issues that should be considered as we move one step closer to national legalization. As one scholar put it, "Let's not make the same mistake twice. In dealing with this primary issue, the social and ethical issues surrounding cannabis legalization will be discussed. We seek diverse viewpoints to foster a respectful academic discussion that will inform future decisions regarding continued cannabis regulation.