California Officials Award $30 Million In Marijuana Revenue To Support Research On THC Drinks, Terpenes And Tribal Cannabis Sales

California officials have awarded nearly $30 million in grants for
marijuana-focused academic research projects.

The government-funded studies will focus on issues such as cannabis use by
older people, the effects of THC beverages, the therapeutic potential of
novel cannabinoids, how compounds like terpenes affect product flavoring,
tribal participation in the legal market and the environmental impact of
marijuana licensing programs.

This marks the third round of grants delivered through the program—which is
funded by marijuana tax revenue—raising the total distributions to about
$80 million.

The Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) said it prioritized proposals in
research areas including educational methods of improving public health and
safety, crop yields, state and local marijuana policies, consumer
preferences, environmental sustainability and other topics.

“All research findings will be made available at no cost to the public to
support broad access to rigorous, science-backed research while
contributing to the national understanding of cannabis,” the department said
in a press release on Monday.

“DCC received 149 proposals,” it said. “Funding decisions were based on
researchers demonstrating strong scientific methodologies, the potential of
their research to improve public understanding of cannabis and its effects,
and to inform future policymaking.”

*Here are some examples of grant awardees and their research initiatives:*

- *UC San Diego: **Cannabis Use and Product Selection Among Older
Adults. *This study seeks understanding of how older adults weigh
product features like potency, cost, and safety when purchasing cannabis.
Findings will inform labeling, education, and retail strategies to improve
consumer safety and support evidence-based cannabis policy for aging
populations. *($643,428)*
- *UC San Francisco: **Clinical pharmacology of commercially available
THC-infused beverages**. *This study will measure THC absorption, onset,
and duration across multiple infused-beverage formulations under real-world
consumption conditions. Results will inform product safety standards,
labeling accuracy, and consumer guidance for low-dose beverage products to
minimize impairment risks. *($1,975,523.03)*
- *UC Davis: **Pathways to Partnership with the Tribal Cannabis Market. *This
study will examine California’s tribal cannabis markets and identify models
for tribal–state collaboration. The project will produce regulatory
templates and partnership pathways to enhance consumer safety,
environmental sustainability, and economic opportunities while respecting
tribal sovereignty. *($698,537)*
- *UC San Francisco: **Cannabinoids and the brain: Focused
investigations of therapeutic application and early-life risk**. *This
project will examine how exposure to specific cannabinoids affects brain
development, neuroinflammation, and therapeutic pathways. The work will
clarify safe dosage thresholds and long-term neurological risks, advancing
cannabinoid-based medicine and public health protection.
*($1,993,986.41)*
- *UC Los Angeles: **Cannabinoid Therapeutics: Synthesis, Binding,
Safety, and Computations**. *This project will study and characterize
novel cannabinoids with therapeutic potential. *($2,000,000)*
- *UC San Diego: **Price and Tax Trends and Their Effects on Cannabis
Sales: Evidence from Multi-State Retail Scanner Data**. *Using
comprehensive retail scanner data across 20+ U.S. states, this project will
analyze consumer responsiveness to price changes and tax rates, providing
actionable insights to guide equitable, health-oriented taxation policies.
*($1,219,052)*
- *UC Berkeley: **Cannabis Crop Yields: Survey & Remote Sensing. *This
project will estimate cannabis crop yield variability across indoor,
outdoor, and mixed-light cultivation systems. The resulting models will
improve crop-production estimates and inform regulatory oversight and
market forecasting for California’s legal cannabis sector. *($1,807,977)*
- *UC Los Angeles: **Characterization of Naturally Occurring
Organoleptic Compounds for Inhalable Cannabis Regulation. *This study
will build a Flower Flavor-Compound Reference Dataset defining natural
terpene concentration ranges to distinguish authentic plant flavors from
prohibited additives, supporting DCC policy and consumer safety.
*($1,234,746)*
- *San Diego State: **Pesticide and Allergen Exposure Among** Cannabis
Workers: An Occupational Health Study. *Through a community-based field
study of 150 participants, this research uses silicone wristbands for
passive chemical sampling and advanced analysis to assess pesticide and
terpene exposure among cannabis workers across cultivation types. Results
will provide the first comprehensive exposure profile for California’s
cannabis workforce, guiding occupational health protections and regulatory
enforcement. *($1,157,196)*
- *UC Berkeley: **Assessing the Environmental Benefits of Cannabis
Licensure. *This study compares licensed and unlicensed cultivation
sites to quantify improvements in water, habitat, and pesticide management
following licensure. *($731,754)*

One of the earlier rounds, in 2023, focused on studies investigating novel
cannabinoids like delta-8 THC, the genetics of “legacy” strains from the
state and monopolies and unfair competition in the market.

Meanwhile, in May, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic
Development (GO-Biz) announced the recipients of over $52 million in
community reinvestment grants to nonprofits and local health departments,
also funded by marijuana tax revenue.

That marked the seventh round of cannabis-funded California Community
Reinvestment Grants (CalCRG) under the state program.

Legalization in California has created a number of new grant programs aimed
at addressing the consequences of marijuana prohibition and attempting to
nurture a strong, well-regulated legal industry.


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Meanwhile, in October the governor of California vetoed a bill that would
have allowed certain marijuana microbusinesses to ship medical cannabis
products directly to patients via common carriers like FedEx and UPS,
stating that the proposal “would be burdensome and overly complex to
administer.”

Also that month, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed a bill aimed at streamlining
research on marijuana and psychedelics.

In September, the governor also signed legislation into law to put a pause
on a recently enacted tax hike on marijuana products.

The post California Officials Award $30 Million In Marijuana Revenue To
Support Research On THC Drinks, Terpenes And Tribal Cannabis Sales appeared
first on Marijuana Moment.