Letter from the Director:
July 1, 2018, marked the start of the third year of the Institute of Cannabis Research (ICR) at Colorado State University-Pueblo. This year has seen some exciting expansion of the Institute that built upon the successes of the previous years and fomented a number of exciting changes, including the continuation and expansion of cutting-edge research as well as the establishment of partnerships with external industry, scientific, and technical organizations.
The Journal of Cannabis Research (JCannabisResearch.BioMedCentral.com) launched in Fall 2018 in partnership with Springer Nature and under the leadership of Dr. David Gorelick, the journal’s first Editor- in-Chief.
For the third annual Institute of Cannabis Research conference (March 23-25, 2019), the conference committee implemented aggressive improvements to the diversity and quality of content of the conference proceedings and created opportunities for sponsorship and exhibition to foster stronger relationships between academia and industry, focusing on research and technology.
Furthermore, the Institute launched a national patient registry in partnership with Colorado-based ValidCare. This registry will facilitate the compilation of HIPAA-compliant clinical data from actual medical cannabis patients to allow for comprehensive scientific research into the efficacy of medical cannabis as an alternative to pharmaceutical treatments. In addition, the registry will be one of the first in the nation to provide this service to researchers worldwide.
To better serve the needs and understand the concerns of our local community, the ICR has implemented a Community Liaison Board consisting of Southern Colorado community leaders who represent a cross-section of industries and sectors, including law enforcement, K-12 education, health and wellness, and the business community.
ICR leadership is also developing the ICR Scientific Research Advisory Board to enhance the ICR’s scientific research effectiveness and timeliness and to help guide the ICR in high-impact research directions.
The following pages detail the breadth and depth of work created by the dedicated educators, students, researchers, and industry partners of the Institute of Cannabis Research. In an environment where communities across the United States seek to legalize hemp and cannabis products, the ICR can serve as an invaluable resource for unbiased data and research to inform the ongoing conversation regarding cannabis.
Chad Kinney, Ph.D.
Director, Institute of Cannabis Research