Getting it Right from the Start

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Getting it Right from the Start

Research & advocacy to protect public health, youth & equity in cannabis. Handle: Please contact us for more information.

As a project of the Public Health Institute, we collaboratively develop and test models of optimal cannabis policy (retail practices, marketing & taxation) with the goal of reducing harms, youth use & problem use. These models are based on the best scientific evidence and guided by the principles of public health, social justice, and equity. We also provide technical assistance to jurisdictions co

nsidering legalizing cannabis. Our work includes:
Developing model local ordinances for licensing cannabis retailers, marketing, and general and special taxes on cannabis, all based on decades of accumulated experience from tobacco and alcohol control. Carrying out research with multiple national stakeholders and experts to identify best practices. Developing legal analyses of relevant issues for local licensing, constraints on marketing, and local taxation. Developing a Listserv, webinars and other technical assistance tools to support communities and exchange experiences and questions. Providing public health oriented input to regulatory processes. Getting it Right From the Start is funded by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, without whose generous support our work would not be possible. Our research is generously funded by the following (but does not necessarily represent the official views of any organization other than Getting it Right From the Start):

Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program
National Institutes of Drug Abuse

06/02/2026

For years, public health advocates have raised concerns that cannabis policy decisions are often shaped as much by economic and market considerations as by health outcomes.

Now, new peer-reviewed research authored by our Getting it Right from the Start team, provides some of the first empirical evidence that economic considerations often compete with—and sometimes outweigh—public health priorities in cannabis policymaking.

Published in BMC Public Health, the study surveyed California local elected officials responsible for decisions about cannabis licensing and regulation. The findings reveal a significant tension between economic priorities and public health considerations.

Among the study's findings:
- Tax revenue (41%) and economic development (41%) were among the top priorities identified by elected officials.
- Youth cannabis use (38%) was also a major concern, yet fewer than 4% of California jurisdictions that allow cannabis retail have adopted restrictions on youth-attractive packaging—even though 84% of surveyed officials supported such protections.

Researchers found that cannabis policy decisions are often influenced by economic, ideological, or cultural narratives rather than public health evidence.

The findings highlight an important challenge facing policymakers: ensuring that cannabis regulations are guided first and foremost by public health goals, particularly when it comes to protecting youth.

At Getting it Right from the Start, we've long argued that legalization and commercialization are not the same thing. The success of cannabis policy should not be measured solely by sales, tax revenue, or market growth, but also by whether it protects health, advances equity, and prevents avoidable harms.

This study adds important new evidence to that conversation and identifies opportunities for stronger evidence-based policymaking and bipartisan youth protections.

Read the study: https://bit.ly/3QdFpeK

Public Health Institute

05/26/2026

As more countries and jurisdictions consider expanding access to cannabis, an important question is emerging: What happens when a medicinal product becomes a commercial industry?

In a recent hashtag feature examining medicinal cannabis prescribing in the Channel Islands of and , Getting it Right from the Start's Dr. Lynn Silver shared lessons from the United States that policymakers around the world should not ignore.

Dr. Silver warned of the "insane promotion" of ma*****na use for a wide array of clinical conditions for which it is not effective—and may even be harmful. She also cautioned policymakers to be very careful when crafting cannabis laws and strongly discouraged allowing the emergence of a for-profit cannabis industry.

These concerns are not unique to the U.S.. At Getting it Right from the Start, we have long argued that legalization and public health protections are not competing goals. In fact, they should go hand in hand.

The experiences emerging from the United States—and increasingly being examined by policymakers abroad—underscore a simple but important reality: Legalization alone shouldn’t be the goal. The goal should be getting legalization (if that’s what they do) right from the start.

Read: https://bit.ly/4nTTeeO

*****na ITV News Public Health Institute

05/21/2026

Virginia Governor Spanberger deserves credit for putting public health and safety first! Although she has expressed support for hashtag legalization, she vetoed Virginia's retail cannabis bill, arguing that legalization must be implemented with strong protections, effective oversight, and adequate enforcement from day one.

Her reasoning reflects a growing recognition across the country: how cannabis is regulated matters. And just because its legal, doesn’t mean its harmless. In her veto statement, Gov. Spanberger emphasized that Virginians deserve a system that prioritizes children's health and safety, public safety, product integrity, and accountability—not simply the replacement of the illicit market.

She also stressed the importance of learning from the experiences of other states and ensuring regulators have the authority, staffing, testing capacity, inspection resources, and enforcement tools necessary to protect the public.

Perhaps most notably, she concluded by saying Virginia must "get this right." That framing resonates strongly with us.

For years, public health advocates have warned that legalization without adequate safeguards can lead to unintended consequences—including increased youth exposure to cannabis marketing, normalization of use, proliferation of high-potency products, misleading health claims, and inadequate protections for consumers.

The conversation is evolving. More policymakers, researchers, parents, educators, and public health leaders are asking important questions about what responsible cannabis regulation should look like in practice.

Supporting legalization and demanding strong public health protections are not contradictory positions. In fact, they should go hand in hand. Gov. Spanberger's veto sends an important message: the goal should not simply be legalization—it should be getting legalization right from the start.

Read the Virginia Mercury: https://virginiamercury.com/2026/05/19/spanberger-vetoes-cannabis-bill-stalling-legal-sales-again/

05/14/2026

New California research reinforces what Getting it Right from the Start’s prior prevention research has repeatedly found: adolescents increasingly perceive cannabis as less harmful than other substances — even as higher-risk cannabis use patterns have grown in the post-legalization era.

A new UC San Diego study of more than 175,000 California students found teens consistently viewed cannabis as the least harmful commonly used substance.

This is concerning because prior California youth research has also shown:
- increasing normalization of cannabis
- youth exposure to cannabis marketing
- rising use of high-potency products
- increased va**ng and concentrate use
- growing risks associated with today’s far stronger commercial cannabis products

Today’s cannabis market is fundamentally different from past generations, with THC concentrations often dramatically higher and product formats designed for greater potency and efficiency.

Public health solutions include:
- stronger warning labels
- THC potency transparency
- limits on youth-appealing advertising
- restrictions near schools, parks, and libraries
- prevention-centered public education

Legalization without strong prevention safeguards risks widening the gap between perceived safety and actual adolescent health risks.

hashtag Study: https://today.ucsd.edu/story/teens-view-cannabis-as-less-harmful-than-alcohol-vapes-and-cigarettes

05/05/2026

Major legal accountability may finally be coming for Big Ma*****na — and it could mark a major public health turning point.

As reported by Chicago Tribune journalist Robert McCoppin, sweeping new lawsuits target some of the nation’s largest cannabis corporations over allegations of false medical claims, deceptive marketing, and downplaying serious health risks.

For years, Getting it Right from the Start has warned that parts of the cannabis industry are increasingly borrowing from Big Tobacco’s deadly playbook: misleading health claims, aggressive commercialization, and minimization of real harms.

These lawsuits are significant because they target major industry players — not small operators — and could help expose harmful practices much like to***co litigation once did.

Public health demands:
• Honest, evidence-based marketing
• Stronger consumer protections
• Accountability for deceptive industry practices
• Prevention of another corporate-driven public health crisis

The cannabis industry must not be allowed to repeat Big Tobacco’s deadly playbook.

Read the Chicago Tribune’s important reporting by Robert McCoppin: https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/05/lawsuit-cannabis-companies-false-claims/

*****na

04/22/2026

Important new reporting on youth cannabis use—and why it matters

Kudos to Paul Sisson at the San Diego Union-Tribune for a thoughtful and much-needed piece on emerging research around cannabis and adolescent brain development.

His article highlights a major new UC San Diego–led study of 11,000 youth nationwide, finding that adolescents who used cannabis showed slower gains in memory, focus, and thinking speed compared to those who did not.

This builds on a growing body of evidence—including research we’ve helped lead—showing that cannabis use during adolescence is associated with meaningful risks to mental health and cognitive development.

A few key takeaways:
• Even as all youth develop over time, cognitive progress was slower among those using cannabis
• The study used toxicological testing, strengthening accuracy beyond self-reporting
• Researchers controlled for key factors—and still found a clear relationship between cannabis use and developmental outcomes

Why this matters for policy
At Getting it Right from the Start, we’ve consistently emphasized a simple point: Legalization does not mean harmless. And commercialization without guardrails comes with real risks—especially for youth.

From rising potency…to products designed and marketed in ways that appeal to young people…to declining public perception of harm…We are seeing the consequences of a system that has drifted from its original public health intent.

A legal cannabis market can exist—but it must be grounded in evidence, accountability, and strong protections for youth.
More of this, please! Read here: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/04/20/ucsd-ma*****na-study-affirms-drugs-negative-effect-on-youth/

*****na

04/17/2026

New study in JAMA Network Open, led by Kaiser Permanente and co-authored by our team at Public Health Institute, looks at how adolescent cannabis use has changed over time in California.

Using data from more than 1.3 million teen screenings, the study found:
• Use increased after legalization—even before retail sales began
• Use declined during COVID-19
• By 2024, rates returned to pre-legalization levels

As lead author Dr. Kelly Young-Wolff of Kaiser Permanente noted, the increase following legalization suggests that changes in social norms and perceptions—alongside access—may play an important role in shaping adolescent behavior.

Grateful to Kaiser Permanente for their leadership on this important research.

Study: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2847868

*****na Kaiser Permanente Public Health Institute

04/14/2026

New op-ed from youth advocate Jim Keddy in Capitol Weekly highlights a growing concern: California is falling short on its promise to protect kids in the era of legalized cannabis.

Keddy makes a clear and compelling case: legalization was never meant to come at the expense of children’s health and safety.

Instead, voters were promised a tightly regulated system — one that would fund youth programs, prevent harm, and hold industry accountable.

But as Keddy outlines, that promise has eroded:
• Funding for youth and prevention programs has been cut, with an estimated $128 million annually diverted away from its intended purpose
• Products and marketing increasingly appeal to children, with packaging resembling candy and a 469% rise in cannabis-related poison control calls among young children
• Potency and risks are rising, with research linking youth cannabis use to serious mental health outcomes

Keddy is clear: this isn’t about undoing legalization — it’s about restoring integrity and accountability to what voters approved.

That’s why legislation like AB 2249 (D- Irwin) is so important. Strengthening safeguards on cannabis marketing and products is a critical step toward aligning policy with public health — and with the original intent of Proposition 64.

At the end of the day, this is about trust.

If we fail to uphold the protections voters were promised, we don’t just put kids at risk — we undermine confidence in the democratic process itself.

Read Editorial: https://capitolweekly.net/california-must-keep-its-promise-to-protect-kids-from-big-cannabis/

04/09/2026

California’s cannabis market is moving faster than its public health safeguards.

AB 2532 (D- Irwin) is a necessary fix.

Right now, cannabis beverages are widely sold with up to 100 mg of THC per container—that’s 10 California “standard” doses! Yet these products are packaged and marketed like single-serving drinks.

That’s not just misleading—it’s dangerous.

At these levels, THC can trigger:
• Severe anxiety, panic, and paranoia
• Loss of consciousness in some users
• Increased risk of accidents and impaired driving
• Serious harm to children if ingested accidentally

We’re already seeing rising cannabis-related ER visits.

AB 2532 sets a simple, common-sense standard:
👉 Limit beverages to 10 mg THC per container (one serving)
👉 Align packaging with how people actually consume these products
👉 Reduce preventable harms to consumers, youth, and families

This approach reflects established public health guidance and expert recommendations.

We don’t allow alcohol products to contain 10 servings disguised as one drink. Cannabis shouldn’t be treated differently.

This is about putting basic guardrails on an out-of-control market—and protecting public health.

*****na

03/30/2026

New peer-reviewed research shows what many of us in public health have been warning:

Cannabis marketing is shaping how young people see risk.

In a new study we co-authored, California youth (ages 16–20) were more likely to see cannabis as fun and less dangerous when ads included flavors, playful imagery, and positive experiences.

That matters—because perception is a key driver of use.

And it’s exactly why stronger safeguards are needed.

California had a chance to act with AB 1207, a landmark bill to limit youth-appealing cannabis marketing. It passed the legislature—but was vetoed.

This new evidence makes the path forward clear:
✔️ Restrict flavors and food-based marketing
✔️ Ban youth-appealing imagery
✔️ Limit “fun” and lifestyle advertising

Because when it comes to cannabis—just like to***co and alcohol— the market will not regulate itself.

Read Study: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10826084.2026.2645776?scroll=top&needAccess=true

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