Cannabis Research
The Cannabis Research Center (CRC) builds on current and past cannabis research conducted at the UMN School of Public Health. With the legalization of adult-use cannabis in the state, there will be many new questions to answer about its public health impact. We collaborate with state and local agencies, policymakers, and community members to ensure information is responsive to needs and accessible to all Minnesotans.
Research Summaries
Brief summaries, provided by the CRC, of existing research studies related to cannabis, cannabis legalization, and health.
Our Work: Cannabis Research Center Projects
Assessment of perceptions about and use of cannabis products in Minnesota.
Principal Investigator: Traci Toomey, PhD
Co-Investigator: Eileen Delehanty, PhD, MPH, Darin Erickson, PhD, Julie Sanem, PhD, Kath Lenk MPH
Funding Source: Cannabis Research Center
Barriers to access and costs of cannabis among those recently diagnosed with cancer: Implications for recent cannabis legislation in Minnesota
Principal Investigator: Helen Parsons, PhD, MPH (Division of Health Policy and Management, University of Minnesota School of Public Health)*
Funding Source: Cannabis Research Center
Cannabis legislation and social equity: A scoping review
Principal Investigator: Rhonda Jones-Webb, DrPH
Co-Investigator: Kyle Hill, PhD, MPH, Diana Augustin
Funding Source: Cannabis Research Center
The Ecological Landscape of Hemp-Derived THC Products in Minneapolis and its Impact on Pseudo-Underage Purchase Attempts
Principal Investigator: Eileen Delehanty, PhD, MPH
Co-Investigators: Traci Toomey, PhD; Darin Erickson, PhD
Funding Source: Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota.
Issue Brief (PDF)
Evaluating Time Trends of Cannabis-Related Emergency Department Visits in Minnesota from 2016-2023
Principal Investigator: Eileen Delehanty, PhD, MPH
Co-Investigators: Traci Toomey, PhD; Darin Erickson, PhD
Collaborating Organization: Minnesota Department of Health
Funding Source: Cannabis Research Center
Evaluating Use and Attitudes/Perceptions of Hemp-Derived Cannabis Products among Minnesotans in Workplaces and Non-Work Settings
Principal Investigators: Eileen Delehanty, PhD, MPH; Traci Toomey, PhD
Co-Investigator: Darin Erickson, PhD
Funding Source: The Midwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety Education and Research Center
Secondary Data Analysis of College Student Health Survey Data
Principal Investigator: Darin Erickson, PhD
Co-Investigator: Julie Sanem, PhD
Collaborating Organization: Boynton Health
Funding Source: Cannabis Research Center
Understanding Cannabis Use by College Students and the Impact of Cannabis Legalization
Principal Investigator: Julie Sanem, PhD
Co-Investigators: Traci Toomey, PhD, Darin Erickson, PhD, Kath Lenk, MPH
Funding Source: Cannabis Research Center
Use and Perceptions of Cannabis by Minnesota High School Students
Principal Investigator: Colin Planalp, MPA
Co-Investigator: Traci Toomey, PhD
Collaborating Organization: State Health Access Data Assistance Center (SHADAC)
Funding Sources: SHADAC, Cannabis Research Center
Note: bold = CRC team member, * = CRC affiliate
- Timeline of Cannabis Policies in Minnesota
Project Team: Eileen Delehanty, PhD
Funding Source: Cannabis Research Center
Research Brief (Google Doc) - Self-reported Cannabis Use Patterns Among Minnesota State Fair Survey Respondents
Project Team: Colin Planalp, MPA; Kathleen Lenk, MPH; Eileen Delehanty, PhD; Julie Sanem, PhD; Traci Toomey, PhD
Research Brief (PDF) - How underage youth may obtain cannabis: A conceptual model
Project Team: Kathleen M. Lenk, MPH; Traci L. Toomey, PhD; Colin Planalp, MPA; Julie Sanem, PhD; Rhonda Jones-Webb, Dr.PH; Natalie Scholz, MPH; Eileen Delehanty, PhD, MPH
Funding Source: Cannabis Research Center
Research Summary – Full Length (Google Doc)
Research Summary – Short (Google Doc) - Identifying the Cannabis Prevention Education and Intervention Needs of Minnesota Schools
Project Team: Traci Toomey, PhD, Julie Sanem, PhD, Natalie Scholz, MPH, Lisa Hoogheem
Collaborating Organization: Minnesota Department of Education
Project Summary (Google Doc)
Webinar Recording – May 22, 2025 (Google Drive)
Webinar Slides – May 22, 2025 (PDF) - Summary of School-Based Education Programs
Project Team: Zidane Galant-LaPorte, Julie Sanem, Traci Toomey
Funding Source: Cannabis Research Center
Project Summary (PDF) - Review Of Literature Assessing Effects Of The Location and Density Of Retail Cannabis Outlets
Project Team: Kathleen Lenk, MPH, Kenzie Granger, Julie Sanem, PhD, Traci Toomey, PhD
Funding Source: Cannabis Research Center
Project Summary (PDF) - An assessment of needs of local public health agencies related to legalization of cannabis in Minnesota.
Principal Investigator: Traci Toomey, PhD
Co-Investigator: Mary Lyon, Darin Erickson, PhD, Julie Sanem, PhD, Kath Lenk MPH, Natalie Scholz, MPH
Collaborating Organization: Local Public Health Association
Funding Source: Cannabis Research Center
Project Summary (PDF) - Cannabis Use and Perceptions Among Minnesota High School Students
Project Team: Colin Planalp, MPA, Robert Hest, MPP, Andrea Steward, MA
Funding Sources: Cannabis Research Center, State Health Access Data Assistance Center
Issue Brief (PDF) - Issue Briefs on Minnesota Cannabis Metrics using NSDUH Estimates from SAMHSA’s Restricted-Use Data Analysis Web Tool
Principal Investigator: Colin Planalp, MPA
Co-Investigator: Traci Toomey, PhD
Collaborating Organization: State Health Access Data Assistance Center (SHADAC)
Funding Sources: SHADAC, Cannabis Research Center
Issue Brief (PDF) - Perceptions and Opinions Relating to Cannabis in Minnesota
Project Team: Colin Planalp, MPA, Robert Hest, MPP, Andrea Steward, MA
Funding Sources: Cannabis Research Center, State Health Access Data Assistance Center
Issue Brief (PDF) - Public Health Implications of Cannabis Use Policy in Minnesota
Project Team: Robert Hest, MPP, Colin Planalp, MPA, Andrea Steward, MA
Funding Sources: Cannabis Research Center, State Health Access Data Assistance Center
Issue Brief (PDF) - Examination of Current Minimum Legal Marijuana Use Age 21 Laws in a State Where Recreational Marijuana is Legal: California
Principal Investigator: James Fell, MS
Subcontract Principal Investigator: Traci Toomey, PhD
Co-Investigator: Darin Erickson, PhD
Funding Agency: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety - A Preliminary Assessment of the Emerging Marijuana Retail Environment
Principal Investigator: Darin Erickson, PhD
Funding Agency: University of Minnesota
CRC-Funded Small Grant Projects
A retrospective analysis of cannabis use prevalence in individuals prescribed metformin
Principal Investigator: Sade Spencer, PhD (Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine)
Co-Investigator: Mustafa al’Absi, PhD (Dept of Family Medicine and Biobehavioral Health, College of Medicine, Duluth)
Funding Source: Cannabis Research Center (Fall 2024)
Analytical Testing Protocols for Minnesota Recreational Cannabis
Principal Investigator: George D. Weiblen (Plant & Microbial Biology)
Co-Investigator: Jonathan P. Wenger, PhD (Plant & Microbial Biology)
Funding Source: Cannabis Research Center (Fall 2024)
Racial Differences in Cannabis Business Ownership and the Economic Effects of Minnesota’s Cannabis-Related Legislation
Principal Investigator: Samuel L. Myers, Jr., PhD (Humphrey School of Public Affairs)
Co-Investigator: Inhyuck “Steve” Ha, PhD (College of Business, Western Carolina University)
Funding Source: Cannabis Research Center (Fall 2024)
Associations between Cannabis Use and Student Health: Minnesota Student Survey 2022
Student Investigators: Subin Jang and Wanlin Hu (School of Public Health)
Faculty Advisor: Ellen Demerath, PhD (School of Public Health)
Funding Source: Cannabis Research Center (Fall 2024)
Assessing deviation and variance in THC levels in products purchased in Minnesota
Principal Investigator: Michael Raleigh, PhD (Pharmacology)
Co-Investigator: Carly Baehr, PhD (Pharmacology)
Funding Source: Cannabis Research Center (Spring 2025)
Minnesota adolescents’ cannabis use after legalization: Exploring disparities in change, use and related risk across SES and social identities
Principal Investigator: Marla Eisenberg, ScD, MPH (School of Medicine & School of Public Health)
Co-Investigators: Amy Gower, PhD (School of Medicine), and Hana-May Eadeh, PhD (Hennepin Healthcare)
Funding Source: Cannabis Research Center (Spring 2025)
Neurodevelopmental Mechanisms Linking Adolescent Cannabis use and Suicidal Ideation
Principal Investigator: Brenden Tervo-Clemmens, PhD (Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences) and Charles Lewis, MD (Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences)
Co-Investigators: Saonli Basu, PhD (Biostatistics), Damien Fair, PhD (Pediatrics & Institute of Child Development), and Ka Ip, PhD (Institute of Child Development)
Funding Source: Cannabis Research Center (Spring 2025)
A Qualitative Study of Cannabis Use Among Transgender and Gender Diverse People Across the Cancer Care Continuum
Student Investigator: Ben C. D. Weideman, MS (they/them and he/him), PhD student (Health Services Research, Policy and Administration)
Faculty Advisor: G. Nic Rider, PhD (they/them) (UMN Medical School)
Co-investigators: Courtney Sarkin, PhD, MBE (she/her) (Division of Epidemiology and Community Health), Madeleine J. Pesch, BA (she/her) (3rd year UMN medical student)
Funding Source: Cannabis Research Center (Summer 2024)
Note: bold = CRC team member, * = CRC affiliate
Systematic Literature Review on the Genotoxic, Mutagenic, and Carcinogenic Mechanisms and Effects of Cannabis
Student Investigator: Morgan Pak, MPH Student (School of Public Health Division of Environmental Health Sciences)
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Silvia Balbo (School of Public Health Division of Environmental Health Sciences)
Co-investigator Dr. Angela Birnbaum (College of Pharmacy Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology)
Funding Source Cannabis Research Center (Summer 2024)
Cannabis use and attitudes among Minnesota youth: Exploring differences across time and intersecting social identities
Principal Investigator: Marla Eisenberg, ScD, MPH (School of Medicine & School of Public Health)*
Co-Investigator: Amy Gower, PhD (School of Medicine)*
Funding Source: Cannabis Research Center (Spring 2024)
Project Summary
- Gower, A. L., Watson, R. J., Pieczykolan, L. L., & Eisenberg, M. E. (2025). The role of bias-based bullying in regular cannabis use among adolescents. Addictive behaviors, 170, 108441. Advance online publication.
- Eisenberg ME. Gower AL. Pieczykolan LL. Watson RJ. Regular cannabis use and promotive attitudes among diverse adolescents: the role of age and intersecting social positions. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, in press.
Dosage, efficacy, and adverse events of medical cannabis in Minnesota residents
Principal Investigator: Angela K. Birnbaum, PhD, MLS (ASCP), (College of Pharmacy)*
Co-Investigator: Jeannine M. Conway, PharmD, (College of Pharmacy)*
Funding Source: Cannabis Research Center (Spring 2024)
Note: bold = CRC team member, * = CRC affiliate
The Cannabis Research Center provides funding for research projects related to cannabis through a Small Grant Request for Applications (RFA) process when funding is available. Previous RFAs have been open to University of Minnesota faculty researchers and/or University of Minnesota Masters or PhD students in degree-seeking programs. Open funding opportunities will be listed on the CRC homepage.
Additional Cannabis Publications
Fell JC, Toomey T, Eichelberger AH, Kubelka J, Schriemer D, Erickson D. What is the likelihood that underage youth can obtain marijuana from licensed recreational marijuana outlets in California, a state where recreational marijuana is legal? Journal of Safety Research, 82:102-111, 2022.
Lenk KM, Wiens T, Fabian LEA, Erickson DJ. Practices and policies of marijuana retail stores in the first two US states to legalize recreational marijuana sales, Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy, 28:4, 340-348, 2021.
Calvert CM, Erickson D. Recreational cannabis legalization and alcohol purchasing: ,a difference-in-differences analysis. Journal of Cannabis Research. Jul 7;3(1):27. 2021.
Calvert C, Erickson D. An examination of relationships between cannabis legalization and fatal motor vehicle and pedestrian-involved crashes. Traffic Injury Prevention. 21(8):521-526, 2020.
Wiens T, Lenk KM, Fabian LEA, Erickson DJ. Law enforcement practices in the first two states in U.S. to legalize recreational marijuana. International Journal of Drug Policy, 61:38-43, 2018
Scholz, N., Lenk, K. M., Joshi, S., Delehanty, E., Erickson, D. J., Toomey, T. L., Jones-Webb, R., & Nelson, T. F. (2024). Cannabis and alcohol enforcement strategies across the U.S. Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs, 10.15288/jsad.24-00200. Advance online publication.
Nannini DR, Zheng Y, Joyce BT, Gao T, Liu L, Jacobs DR, Schreiner PJ, et al. Marijuana use and DNA methylation-based biological age in young adults. Clinical Epigenetics. 2022;14(1):134.
Bancks MP, Auer R, Carr JJ, Goff DC Jr, Kiefe C, Rana JS, Reis J, Sidney S, Terry JG, Schreiner PJ. Self-reported marijuana use over 25 years and abdominal adiposity: the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study. Addiction. 2018 Apr;113(4):689-698.
Auer R, Vittinghoff E, Yaffe K, Künzi A, Kertesz SG, Levine DA, Albanese E, Whitmer RA, Jacobs DR Jr, Sidney S, Glymour MM, Pletcher MJ. Association between lifetime marijuana use and cognitive function in middle age: The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study. JAMA Intern Med. 2016 Mar;176(3):352-61.
Bancks MP, Pletcher MJ, Kertesz SG, Sidney S, Rana JS, Schreiner PJ. Marijuana use and risk of prediabetes and diabetes by middle adulthood: the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. Diabetologia. 2015 Dec;58(12):2736-44
Braun BL, Hannan P, Wolfson M, Jones-Webb R, Sidney S. Occupational attainment, smoking, alcohol intake, and marijuana use: ethnic-gender differences in the CARDIA study. Addictive Behaviors. 2000 May-Jun;25(3):399-414.
Borrell LN, Jacobs DR Jr, Williams DR, Pletcher MJ, Houston TK, Kiefe CI. Self-reported racial discrimination and substance use: the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2007 Nov 1;166(9):1068-79.
In addition to cannabis research, the U of M School of Public Health has broad research expertise in alcohol, tobacco, and opioids. View highlights of relevant alcohol, tobacco, and opioid publications and research studies conducted at SPH on our Substance Abuse Research page.
