New Study Examines Funding for Cannabis Research in States with Legal Cannabis

A recently published study conducted an analysis of cannabis research funding efforts by states that had legal medical or adult-use cannabis. The researchers analyzed states’ cannabis legalization measures, government websites, state officials, or reference materials for information on scientific funding or research. As of September 2024, the study’s introduction noted, medical cannabis is legal in 38 US states, 24 of the states also have legalized adult-use cannabis, and eight states have legalized low-THC/high-CBD cannabis. Additionally, the majority of public funding for cannabis research is through the federal government, specifically the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Due to various factors including the status of cannabis as a Schedule I drug, gaps in research still exist in areas such as public health effects, consumption data, and individual regulatory frameworks. The study, “State funding for cannabis research: an analysis of funding mechanisms and levels,” was published in the Journal of Cannabis Research in March 2025.

In order to analyze the current level of state funding for research and mechanisms for distribution of funding, the researchers examined the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and created a database of the available funding described, specifically, the amount and whether it had been allocated to date. The data was gathered from February 2024 to August 2024. The research did not include cannabis measures in US cities or counties, funding in academic institutions, or ancillary uses of budget support for research-related work.

Some of the results include (1):

• Funding is generally allocated either directly to academic institutions or directly to state agencies
• Of the 38 states that have legalized cannabis in some form (excluding low THC/high CBD states), 17 (45%) states have legislation specifying funding for research, though 5 have not allocated funding for the research intended, resulting in 12 states that provide direct funding for cannabis research
• Of the 14 states legalizing medical cannabis, 6 (43%) have adopted research funding mechanisms
• Of the 24 states that have legalized both medical and adult use cannabis, 11 (46%) have adopted research funding mechanisms
• No states that have legalized only low THC/high CBD formulations have created mechanisms to fund cannabis research
• Grants from the federal government for research have increased recently, but were 40% lower than funding for research related to tobacco and 35% lower than for research related to alcohol

“This lack of investment is a missed opportunity for states to foster research about the impact of legalization and to increase understanding of the risks and benefits of cannabis use within their state,” the researchers stated in the conclusion. “There is also a missed opportunity for collaborations between researchers and cannabis regulators to inform legislative discussion and develop future evidence-based cannabis laws.”

Furthermore, the researchers suggested that to obtain funding, states could procure it through tax revenues specific to cannabis, or, non-monetary support can include data sharing with researchers and adding researchers to cannabis agencies.

Reference

1. Balla, A.; Boyle, RG.; Dempsey, C. State funding for cannabis research: an analysis of funding mechanisms and levels. J Cannabis Res. 2025. DOI: 10.1186/s42238-025-00264-0.