OLLI Talks: Cannabis Research, Regulation, and Challenges (DRAKE HALL)

Note:  This course meets on April 17 at 1pm, which is a change from the printed catalog.

This course introduces the landscape of cannabis in Colorado. This will include a discussion of cannabis research in the state, with an emphasis on the role of the Institute of Cannabis Research, Colorado’s cannabis research organization established by state statute. The complexities of cannabis research can be significant, reflecting ethical considerations, regulatory restrictions, and other barriers that contribute to gaps in expectations for research and its outcomes. The regulations for cannabis (marijuana and hemp) vary from state to state and between the states and the federal level. We will explore some of these regulations and their implications for cannabis. We will touch on some of the challenges with cannabis research as well as those associated with current cannabis regulation. 

*Chad Kinney is the Director of the Institute of Cannabis Research (ICR) hosted on the Colorado State University Pueblo campus. The mission of the Institute is to engage in and disseminate the results of cannabis research. Prior to assuming this role, Dr. Kinney served as Chair of the Chemistry Department. His term as Director of the ICR was interrupted for one year when he served as the interim Provost. Dr. Kinney earned his bachelor’s degree in environmental chemistry from the University of California, San Diego, his Doctorate in Applied Chemistry from Colorado School of Mines, and completed a National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship at the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Water Quality Laboratory. Research in the Kinney lab focuses on novel extraction methods and in-extraction transformation of phytochemicals, as well as the analysis of cannabinoids, and the presence, fate, and effects of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in the environment. 

Notes

• A current OLLI membership is required to register for all courses and lectures.
• If you do not have a Spring 2026 membership, one will be added to your cart at checkout.
• OLLI membership fees and course tuition are critical to the Institute's sustainability and are non-refundable.

Recommendations

• The Hemp Loophole: A Need to Clarify the Legality of Delta-8-THC and Other Hemp-Derived Tetrahydrocannabinol Compounds by Eric C. Leas (publicly available on NIH’s website: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8630489/  

• Institute of Cannabis Research Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report (publicly available on the ICR’s website: https://www.instituteofcannabisresearchcolorado.org/annual-report/fy-2025-annual-report/