Letter from the Governing Board Chair:
Serving as the Chair of the Institute of Cannabis Research (ICR) Governing Board for the past three and a half years, has been a true honor. I have witnessed a maturing of the Institute as its role in Colorado has evolved. I and the Board are very pleased with the trajectory of the Institute. The Board and the Institute are encouraged by the continued support of the State of Colorado to fund important cannabis research and engaging world-class researchers throughout the state.
We have overseen a robust research portfolio developed from this funding, and we hope to continue to engage researchers to meet the needs of the state going forward. Soliciting applications through an annual state-wide research competition, we continue to receive applications from top researchers and top institutions across the state. Requests for funding total well over the amount that we can support. Some highlights of funded research include projects addressing the harms of high potency cannabis, public safety of cannabis in regards to driving, as well as clinically relevant research focused on important health outcomes such as Alzheimer’s Disease and cancer. Given the state’s early vision and support for the ICR, the growth potential for the ICR and the State of Colorado as a national leader in cannabis research is exceptional.
The ICR has developed of several national and international partnerships that have been established over these past few years to expand the scope and impact of the ICR. Some of these partnerships are around initiatives to see the results of cannabis research broadly and publicly disseminated. The ICR continues to co-host and see the Cannabis Research Conference (previously the Institute of Cannabis Research Conference) grow in stature and importance as one of the very few cannabis focused conferences that is truly a research conference. The Cannabis Research Conference has become a destination conference for those working in this diverse area of research. We hope to see you at the conference in Denver being held August 3-5, 2023.
The Governing Board is comprised of members with a broad array of expertise and skills. The Board works closely with the ICR Staff to offer a broader set of perspectives, has help shape the direction of the ICR, and works to elevate the Institute in Colorado and beyond. The Board and the ICR are poised to respond to the cannabis research needs of the state and to leverage the infrastructure and expertise developed in the Institute to benefit the state. The Board is committed to the supporting the success of the Institute and elevating the state of Colorado in the realm of cannabis research.
Dr. Cinnamon Bidwell
Chair of the ICR Governing Board