2024 Cannabis Summit

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Public health and safety experts, legislative leaders and treatment providers all gathered at Betty Ford Hazelden Treatment Center in St. Paul on Oct. 25 to participate in the first major interdisciplinary discussions and exchange of information about the state of cannabis legalization and regulation in Minnesota. The event was co-organized by Hamline psychology professor Dr. Serena King, in partnership with Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School and Smart Approaches to Marijuana Minnesota.
This event was the first of its kind in bringing together a broad field of experts to closely examine the evolving landscape of Minnesota’s cannabis legislation, policy, legalization, research and lived experience.
“One take-home message was that we need to have a lot of cross-disciplinary communication between policy experts and scientists who are studying cannabis in Minnesota, so that we can stay on top of what is developing nationally,” King noted.
Participants also identified an important need to educate the community moving forward about current trends, policies and diverse products that will be on the market, as well as developing early discussions on high potency cannabis research and examining trends that indicate strong popularity among youth populations.
“We will also need to improve the understanding and preparedness for mental health and addiction counselors as they face a new landscape of cannabis use in Minnesota,” King said.
Only days after the event, organizers began seeking feedback. King said many of the involved parties have shown interest in hosting another summit in 2025. Some possible themes include K-12 education and support, have already been proposed.

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