1/Major new review in @thelancet.com Psychiatry, covered by the #Guardian’s @iansample.bsky.social, reaches striking conclusion: Commercial #cannabis markets—not decriminalization—are linked to increased cannabis use, higher-potency products, & more related #psychosis & psychiatric harms.

#BigCannabis just took a major step toward #WallStreet. #Trulieve ($1.2B in annual revenue) is now the first U.S. #cannabis company to trade on the #NYSE, per @washingtonpost.com. More capital means more expansion & influence—making #PublicHealth safeguards more important than ever.

1/New study in #PubHealthBMC by our @getitrightonmj.bsky.social team (at @publichealthinst.bsky.social) finds economic priorities outweigh #PublicHealth concerns in #cannabis policymaking. Tax revenue & economic development top officials' priorities, as health protections lag. Study: bit.ly/3QdFpeK

1/Featured in an @itvnews.bsky.social report on #MedicinalCannabis policy, @publichealthinst.bsky.social's Dr. Lynn Silver warned against "insane promotion" of #cannabis when evidence is weak—or sometimes even harmful—& urged policymakers caution about allowing a for-profit industry to emerge.

1/Thank you @abigailspanberger.com for thoughtful veto of #Virginia's #cannabis retail bill focusing on children’s health, public safety, accountability, & strong oversight! She is right: legalization should be done right—not rushed. Read @virginiamercury.com's @MSchmidtRVA: bit.ly/42K54yt

1/#UCSD research (175K + CA teens) finds adolescents consistently view #cannabis as less harmful than alcohol, cigarettes, or vapes—reinforcing our prior studies linking normalization & advertising to lower perceived risk as high-potency youth use rises. #PublicHealth Read Study: bit.ly/4nzB3uS

1/Major lawsuits against some of the nation’s largest #cannabis corporations — including Cresco, Green Thumb, Verano & Curaleaf — allege false medical claims, deceptive marketing, & downplaying serious health risks. Read @chicagotribune.com’s #RobertMcCoppin: bit.ly/4dplfai

1/Strong reporting by San Diego Union-Tribune's #PaulSisson on major #UCSD-led study of 1K youth that found: • Slower gains in memory, focus & thinking speed among those using #cannabis • Toxicology testing strengthened accuracy • Link held even after controlling for key factors #PublicHealth

Study by #KaiserPermanente in @jamanetworkopen.com (we/@publichealthinst.bsky.social co-authored): NorCal teen #cannabis use rose post legalization—even before retail sales—& declined during #COVID, returned to “pre” levels by 24’. Norms, perceptions, & access DO impact behavior. bit.ly/4vTAFev

1/#YouthForward editorial in @capitolweekly.bsky.social: CA failing to keep #cannabis legalization promises: • ~$128M cut from prevention funding • Products packaged like candy • 469% rise in poisonings among young kids • Higher potency, rising #MentalHealth risks #AB2249 (#Irwin) needed! #CALeg

1/#AB2532 (ASM Irwin) will rein in an out-of-control #cannabis bev market. Products with up to 100mg (10 doses!) #THC per container sold as single-serving drinks—misleading consumers & increasing risks of: • Severe anxiety • Accidents & impaired driving • Pediatric poisonings #CALeg

1/New study in @tandfresearch.bsky.social we co-authored shows how #cannabis ads shape youth perceptions—& risk. Among CA youth, ads with flavors, “fun” imagery, & playful designs made it seem more appealing & less dangerous. Marketing isn’t neutral—it drives perception. And perception drives use.

1/New study in Sage Journals of #Quebec’s cannabis retail monopoly shows how legalization can prioritize #PublicHealth. In contrast to the U.S., system designed to sell #cannabis without encouraging consumption. Legalization doesn’t have to mean commercialization. Read Study: bit.ly/4rlzXmt

1/@jamahealthforum.com study by #KaiserPermanente (& @publichealthinst.bsky.social) followed ~500K teens over 8 yrs. Clinicians seeing what data shows (increase from maybe 20–30 youth a year in ER to nearly 600 in 2025). Watch Dr. Young-Wolffe on #KPBS w. @heididemarco.bsky.social: bit.ly/4cRKphW

1/#NPR’s Rhitu Chatterjee spotlights #KaiserPermanente's (& @publichealthinst.bsky.social, #USC, #UCSF) landmark @jamahealthforum.com study on adolescent #cannabis use & correlated increases in #MentalHealth risks. Longitudinal study follows over 460K teens for up to a decade. bit.ly/4s2GbZc

1/New study in #JAMAHealthForum, led by Kaiser Permanente & co-authored by researchers at @publichealthinst.bsky.social, UCSF, & USC finds past-year #cannabis use during adolescence is associated with a significantly higher risk of incident psychotic, bipolar, depressive & anxiety disorders.

1/NY Times Editorial Board just acknowledged a hard truth: #cannabis legalization w/o strong regulation has fueled sharp rises in frequent use, addiction, ER visits, psychosis & impaired driving. Legalize & regulate was the promise (one that remains unfulfilled). www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/o...

1/Strong, deeply reported coverage by the Orange County Register’s @terisforza.bsky.social digs into our 2025 CA #CannabisPolicyScorecards, naming how Orange County cities scored — & detailing what each did & didn’t do to protect youth and public health as cannabis expands. Article: bit.ly/4tnm6hJ

1/Outstanding, in-depth reporting by Record Searchlight's (#USAToday network) Michele Chandler on our new 2025 CA #Cannabis Policy #Scorecards — examins how #Redding, Anderson, & Shasta Lake are (& aren’t) protecting youth & #PublicHealth as legal cannabis expands. Read article: bit.ly/49Zirz9

1/The #CityofPomona tops 2025’s California #Cannabis Policy Scorecards (60 pts), leading on #PublicHealth & #Equity with strict license caps, event bans, 1K-ft school buffers, in-store #HealthWarnings, equity hiring & fee deferrals, & funding for youth programs. Our Press Release: bit.ly/3Zfy2o4

1/@publichealthinst.bsky.social's @getitrightonmj.bsky.social's 2025 CA #CannabisPolicyScorecards are out! Local policies innovate yet underutilized amid rising #PublicHealth concerns. Report provides roadmap forward for cities/counties to better protect health, advance equity. Read: bit.ly/3NSzMkG

1/#rollcall: Congress moving to delay an important federal ban on #IntoxicatingHemp due these products being highly intoxicating, poorly regulated, misleadingly marketed, accessible to youth, & increasing poisonings/ER visits—all thanks to a 2018 farm bill loophole! rollcall.com/2026/01/15/c...

Insightful op-ed by Susan Shapiro in @latimes.com: a reminder that legal doesn’t mean harmless. Author connects rising #cannabis dependence to real health risks—& offers clear, compassionate guidance for recognizing a problem & getting help. #PublicHealth Read more: bit.ly/49qDPx1

1/New study of 160K U.S. teens by researchers at #Columbia published in @ameracadpeds.bsky.social's #Pediatrics finds that even #cannabis use 1-2x’s a month is linked to: • more #depression & #anxiety • worse school performance • more impulsivity Read article for more: bit.ly/4qN5zS9

1/OpEd in @washingtonpost.com by #RANDCorporation’s @beaukilmer.bsky.social & #Standford’s #KeithHumphreys: Legal #cannabis markets have surged — but regs haven’t kept up. Today’s ultra-potent #THC (20%+ flower, 60–90% concentrates) means more impairment & risky driving. bit.ly/49fAVto

1/Must-read @nytimes.com opinion piece by #AcademyHealth's @aaronecarroll.bsky.social: #Cannabis policy moved faster than the evidence—& today’s commercial market has outpaced our #PublicHealth response. Question isn’t “legalize or not,” but whether we adjust to real harms. Read: bit.ly/3Ya3IdX

1/Op-ed in @latimes.com by @rabcarian.bsky.social captures what many in #PublicHealth have been saying for years: The #cannabis pendulum has swung from criminalization & #ReeferMadness to unchecked commercialization — & we must enact proper guardrails that put people over profits. bit.ly/4saUbkE

1/#Trump executive order on rescheduling #cannabis mistakenly treats all cannabis the same. For example: High-potency flower, 90%+ #THC vapes, concentrates & high-dose edibles carry very different risks & have no proven medical use - so they don’t belong on Schedule III. #PublicHealth #Marijuana

1/#Kaiser study we co-authored in #JAMAOpenNetwork shows how inconsistent & inaccurate info about #cannabis use in pregnancy remains across CA retailers, including: - 1 in 5 budtenders said it’s safe; - Only 40% said it’s unsafe; - <6% referenced the warning label Read: bit.ly/496EkvK

1/@psypost.bsky.social article covers our recent study with @ucirvine.bsky.social & #Kaiser showing CA 11th graders are using #cannabis more often since retail legalization. Findings: • 30% higher odds of frequent use • Use rose most where storefronts opened • Lowest use in cities banning all shops

1/#CNN’s #SandeeLaMotte details disturbing trend: #cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (#CHS)—intense abdominal pain + uncontrollable vomiting—is rising sharply, especially among teens & daily users of ultra-high-#THC products. ER visits among adolescents increased 10X’s betw 2016–23.

1/Newsweek’s Jasmine Laws covers a major new review of 1K+ studies on #MedicalCannabis. Key Takeaways: • Evidence for many medical claims limited/insufficient • Nearly 1/3 medical #cannabis users develop #CUD • High-potency daily use = cardiovascular & health risks Read: bit.ly/4pjY0lS

1/Associated Press's Leah Willingham takes a deep dive into an emerging reality: for many daily #Cannabis users, especially with today’s ultra-high-potency products, pot can shift slowly from relief to dependence. Because legal is not the same as harmless Read article: bit.ly/3JWUdeP

1/AP’s Laura Unger debunks a persistent myth: you can’t get addicted to #cannabis. #Stanford’s Dr Smita Das explains why #CannabisUseDisorder is real—& rising—as today’s products reach 20–40% #THC & higher. CDC Data: ~3 in 10 people who use #marijuana develop #CUD. Read: bit.ly/4ppIZ1b

1/MJBizDaily reports on a major potential shift in #cannabis products: consumers are moving away from the potency race & toward lower-dose (safer), effect-based products, indicating shoppers increasingly want controlled, functional #THC, not ultra-high-potency products. Read: bit.ly/4rk3qi6

1/#Hemp loopholes are flooding the market w. psychoactive products that threaten kids & public health. Congress could vote TODAY on a fed ban on hemp-derived intoxicants like Delta-8 #THC. Use Smart Approaches to Marijuana's action page. Tell Congress to KEEP THE HEMP BAN! bit.ly/3LMYmCi

1/New study by #UCSD researchers in Tobacco Control finds #cannabis use may increase #tobacco addiction risk among U.S. youth. Early exposure to pot linked w. later nicotine dependence—a reminder of how interconnected these industries are now. Fox 5 San Diego story: fox5sandiego.com/news/health/...

1/The #cannabis industry’s rapid commercialization has led to potent, highly intoxicating products—from 99% #THC to “hemp-derived” synthetics. Our fact sheet breaks down what’s in today’s pot, how it’s used, & why it matters for health/prevention. Read: bit.ly/4hpFfKg

1/Our new study w. researchers at @UCIPublicHealth & @UCLAchpr in @ijdrugpolicy.bsky.social finds violations of #cannabis delivery bans common in CA in 2021–22. Nearly all census block groupe reached by delivery businesses—even jurisdictions where delivery illegal. @publichealthinst.bsky.social

1/New #DailyReview story highlights our (@publichealthinst.bsky.social's Getting it Right from the Start) peer-reviewed study with #UCIrvine & #KPDR finding daily #cannabis use among CA teens rose since legalization. “This study shows legalization changed how teens use cannabis.” —Bethany Simard

1/New study from researchers at UC Irvine, UCLA & @publichealthinst.bsky.social’s Getting it Right from the Start shows more teens are using #cannabis more frequently & more intensely (reversing a prior decline) after retail stores opened in 2018 - raising serious health risks for California youth.

Our new Journal of Adolescent Health study (w. #UCLA & #UCIrvine)—featured by Fox 5 San Diego—found daily #cannabis use among CA 11th graders has risen since legalization, reversing prior declines. Youth use stays lower where retail sales banned. Stronger safeguards needed. Article: bit.ly/3W8Cvay

1/#SB378 (#ScottWiener) passed the #CALeg with overwhelming support. It cracks down on unregulated #hemp products flooding CA — often ultra-high #THC, synthetic, & sold online to youth with no age checks. We urge @gavinnewsom.bsky.social to sign this important bill!

1/CBS Sacramento’s Brady Halbleib interviews our own Dr. Lynn Silver on @gavinnewsom.bsky.social's signing #AB564 — a bill that breaks #Prop64’s promised funding for youth, prevention & the environment. A big tax break for #BigCannabis, nothing to fix the real drivers of the illicit market.

1/The #CALeg just passed #AB564, betraying voters’ intent in #Prop64. Instead of funding childcare, youth prevention, environmental restoration & public safety as promised, this bill hands #BigCannabis a massive tax break & raises serious questions of legality. #cannabis

1/#NatureCommunications study (via @cnn-news.bsky.social/#kcranews) finds #marijuana may damage human eggs (esp. higher #THC)—raising risks of infertility, miscarriage & genetic defects. #Cannabis use during pregnancy has tripled since 2002. Study adds to mounting evidence of risks when pregnant.

1/Lost Coast Outpost dives into #AB564, which would cut taxes for #BigCannabis & divert $100s of millions from kids, prevention, & environment—just as fed cuts do same. Advocate: “If we’re gonna trade legalization for taxes then by God they should honor what they set out to do.” Read: bit.ly/47Ev16h

1/In #CapitolWeekly, Michael Sutton — former CA Fish & Game president - reminds us of one of the MAJOR reasons why voters legalized #cannabis in CA: to generate revenue for #YouthPrevention, #Childcare, law enforcement & #EnvironmentalRestoration. #AB564 betrays that promise. #CALeg

1/We just co-authored a new study in Science Direct's #AddictiveBehaviors on #cannabis vape products (CVPs) among young adults. Findings show a strong link between exposure to CVP ads — especially on social media — & both likelihood & frequency of use. #CannabisPolicy #PublicHealth

1/NyTimes has a front page article on California’s ultra-potent #cannabis is being smuggled into the U.K. as “Cali weed.” It’s not only vastly stronger (up to 40% #THC) — it’s also “commonly sold in brightly colored packets with cartoonlike designs.” Read: www.nytimes.com/2025/09/01/w...