2024 Research Briefing
View this year’s presentations from our interdisciplinary experts.
Governing through Bans? Cultivation, Regulation & Punitive Legacies
Michael Polson, Director of the Berkeley Cannabis Research Center, presents his work with fellow researchers Margiana Peteresen-Rockney and Christy Getz.
Licensed and Unlicensed Cultivations Across Ban and Permit Jurisdictions
Joanna Hossack, Amanda Reiman, Seth LaRosa and Margiana Petersen-Rockney present their findings on the status of jurisdictions that allow or don’t allow cannabis cultivation.
Modeling streamflow depletion in California’s salmon-bearing streams
Researcher Phil Georgakakos shares data on how cannabis cultivation is affecting vulnerable water sources over time.
Cannabis Equity Programs
Community-based researcher Laura Herrera shares her preliminary findings on the status of Cannabis Equity Programs across the state.
Climate & cannabis policy creates disparities in land & water use enforcement
Researcher Margiana Petersen-Rockney focused on Siskiyou County to examine how climate & cannabis policy has been weaponized against the growing Hmong community of cannabis farmers.
Geo-social Marginalization
Researchers Margiana Petersen-Rockney, Chris Dillis, Michael Polson examined the licensed California cannabis industry and found a case of Geo-Social Marginalization where cultivation is widely pushed to the margins of the state.
Tribal Resources
Third year PhD candidate Seth LaRosa presents the online Tribal Resource page on our website that provides links and tools for understanding Cannabis Policy & Land Use, Mapping and free access to Geographic Information System (GIS) for tribal members and info on Tribal Consultations.
2021 Research Briefing
Due to the pandemic we hosted our second annual research briefing via zoom. In 2021 we also published a review paper on the environmental impacts of cannabis production, and continued investigations on how cannabis farming interacts with wildfire threats, water use, and wildlife. Learn more through our presentations below.
Director’s Welcome
Berkeley Cannabis Research Center Co-Director Dr. Van Butsic announces the upcoming five part speaker series on Zoom and gives an overview of the Center’s operations and research.
Environmental Impacts Review
Dr. Ariani Wartenberg presents a Review of the Environmental Impacts of Cannabis at the virtual 2nd Annual Research Briefing of the Berkeley Cannabis Research Center.
Cannabis & Fire
Dr. Chris Dillis presents Wildfire and Cannabis at the virtual 2nd Annual Research Briefing of the Berkeley Cannabis Research Center.
Water Use
Dr. Ted Grantham presents Cannabis and Water at the virtual 2nd Annual Research Briefing Berkeley Cannabis Research Center.
Wildlife
Phoebe Parker Shames presents her research of Cannabis and Wildlife at the virtual 2nd Annual Research Briefing of the Berkeley Cannabis Research Center.
2019 Research Briefing
Our first briefing event introduces the Cannabis Research Center. In short videos below, we present initial investigations on water, wildlife, and the experiences of cannabis farmers as they confront compliance with licenses and laws in northern California. We outline issues, news, and research on cannabis agriculture. Then we share a longer presentation on how the legacy of Cannabis prohibition impacts influences legalization and social equity today.
Director’s Welcome
Introduction to the Cannabis Research Center by Co-Director, Dr. Van Butsic.




