The Community Health and Cannabis Collaborative (CHeCC) (formerly known as the Community Health Sciences (CHS) team) at the Cannabis Research Institute (CRI) hosted the Community Report Back and Discussion on Nov. 19, 2025. Earlier this year, CRI released a report with the data collected from those discussions.

The introduction to the report stated, “We presented emerging priorities for equity-centric research and community action projects based on insights gathered from community listening sessions and interviews. Participants were community members from throughout the cannabis sector in Illinois, including dispensary owners and employees, growers, advocates, individuals with lived experience, educators, and researchers across Illinois. The CHeCC Team asked participants to share their thoughts on the emerging priorities through six small group mind map discussions and an individual survey. The combined results of the six discussions and survey are presented in this document. The CHeCC Team reviewed mind map discussion notes and summarized them in the tables below. Two example mind maps are also included for reference. Survey data were analyzed and are presented below.”

When ranking equity-centric research project emerging priorities, the most prioritized topics included:

1. Effects of cannabis for certain health conditions
2. Effects of cannabis based on co-use with prescription and recreational drugs
3. Effects of cannabis when using cannabis as a substitute for other drugs and substances
4. Effects of cannabis based on different routes (i.e., different ways to use cannabis)
5. Effects of cannabis on specific populations like youth, Veterans, and older adults
6. Effects of long-term cannabis use
7. How cannabis produces its effect biologically
8. Consumer safety based on the accuracy of product labels and lab testing for regulated and unregulated products
9. Methods and messages to educate the public about cannabis and cannabis safety
10. Economic impact of cannabis taxes and revenue on the state and on communities

When ranking equity-centric community action project emerging priorities, the most prioritized topics included:

1. Educate healthcare providers, care staff, and educators about medical cannabis
2. Educate the general public about cannabis
3. Create internships and assistantships for students in the cannabis sector
4. Invite community experts into interdisciplinary classrooms to share their expertise and experience with students
5. Foster collaborations across disciplines
6. Engage existing cannabis studies programs to build out different pathways of study
7. Focus education on specific populations, including older adults, youth, and teens
8. Partner with law schools and advocacy organizations on expungement of cannabis-related charges
9. Engage cannabis studies programs to make education more accessible and affordable
10. Expand harm reduction by educating youth and adults about cannabis use

Next steps:

1. Establish a community partnership council (CPC) that will:

– Approve final seed funding priorities from our list

– Co-create seed funding application with CHeCC team

– Review seed funding applications with the CHeCC team

– Contribute to making award decisions in seed funding program with the CHeCC team

– Provide ongoing consultation to the CHeCC team during seed funding implementation

2. Fund equity-centric community action and research projects focused on emerging priorities.
3. Host an in-person symposium in summer 2026 to introduce the first round of seed funding projects, highlight existing cannabis research and community-engaged work, and build relationships
4. Continue to engage community members for emerging priorities in cannabis research and community action projects

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