About us

Public policy and population attitudes around cannabis are rapidly shifting. Most U.S. states have legalized some form of cannabis use and sale, and countries across the globe are exploring decriminalization or legalization.

These shifts are creating economic opportunities, expanding legal market access and moving away from a history marred by misinformation and unjust criminalization policies.

Amid all this change, information and expertise are needed.

Woman presenting data using a digital whiteboard to a team sitting at a table

Part educator…

The Cannabis Policy Lab helps governments and the public understand cannabis legalization and regulation.

We want to:

  • Make it easy to find unbiased information about cannabis

  • Highlight what’s working in government policy and what can be improved

  • Showcase evidence about legalization’s impacts

More broadly, we want to help people understand how these changes affect them and make responsible choices about cannabis use.

Man presenting information using a digital screen to a team

…part advisor

We also support governments and academics through consulting services.

We help:

  • Governments develop regulatory programs

  • Academics contextualize and translate their research

What drives us

It can be challenging to find good sources of information about cannabis. Biases (for or against cannabis) muddy conversations around societal risk and appropriate measures of government mitigation. Outdated laws impede academic research.

We want to change that.

Our goal is to make cannabis policy easy to understand and help governments thoughtfully regulate cannabis – without fear or bias. 

Led by a former cannabis regulator

Headshot for Christina Dempsey, founder of the Cannabis Policy Lab

Christina Dempsey, Founder

Christina Dempsey was a California cannabis regulator for nearly six years and served as the inaugural Policy & Research Director for the California Department of Cannabis Control. She led intergovernmental task forces to consolidate and streamline cannabis laws, advised senior officials on cannabis policy, and worked closely with government leaders at the local, state and national levels.

She led multi-million dollar public awareness campaigns and directed a $20 million grant program to fund academic research about cannabis legalization. She also led organizational response and communications during politically-sensitive events, including during the E-Cigarette and Vaping Associated Lung Injury (EVALI) health crisis.

Christina was co-chair of the Public Health and Data Subcommittee for the national Cannabis Regulators Association (CANNRA). She received two California state government awards for leading the cannabis policy response to EVALI (2020) and for her contributions to launching the state’s cannabis manufacturing regulatory program (2018).

Get in touch

    • New client inquiries: Review our advisory services, and email us if you think we can help you.

    • Partnership ideas: Email us your idea, and tell us why you think we’re a good fit.

    • Request a speaker: Email us the who, what, when and where.

  • If you’re working on a story or need some guidance or perspective, we want to help. Email us for comment or background, or tell us how we can help you.

  • You don’t have to have a specific ask or offer to reach out to us. Email us to introduce yourself and just say hi.