On September 13, 2018, the Washington State Academy of Sciences held a 1-day symposium on "The Highs and Lows of Conducting Research on Cannabis in Washington State" at the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field. Researchers from the University of Washington, Washington State University, and elsewhere participated, including Dennis Donovan of the Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute.
The symposium outlined the history of cannabis use and the data supporting its utility for improving the human condition, as well as its linkage to deleterious impacts. Presentations ranged from foundational medical experimentation to work in highly applied real-world settings, and strategies to allow research to be conducted while remaining compliant with the regulatory environment.
