What CDC is Doing

What to know

The concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in cannabisA products continues to increase. New strains of cannabis with varying levels of THC and cannabidiol (CBD) are being introduced into the marketplace. The number of persons who use cannabis is also increasing, including those reporting frequent cannabis use in the United States.12 Recognizing the need to understand changes in cannabis use patterns, the potential health and social consequences of cannabis use, and public health strategies to monitor and respond have led to the development of a CDC Cannabis Strategic Plan.

CDC's cannabis strategy

The Division of Overdose Prevention (DOP) in the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC) serves as the coordinating unit for cannabis activities across the agency and led the development of this Strategy. This Strategy outlines a vision for fiscal years 2020-2025 and serves as an update and expansion to the 2016 CDC plan to address emerging public health concerns related to cannabis. The Strategy also further describes actions that will foster a public health approach, improve messaging, and secure dedicated resources to address the health risks of cannabis.

Goal:

Monitor and address use of and exposure to cannabis and its associated health and social effects.

Strategic Pillars

MONITOR TRENDS

• Analyze and expand existing data sources to monitor adult and youth medical and nonmedical cannabis use. Examples of trends we intend to focus on include emergency department (ED) visits, modes of use, age of initiation, frequency of use, and polysubstance useB.
• Develop new systems to assess cannabis use (product types, amount, mode, and frequency) and health and social outcomes.

Example Activity: Analyze, improve, and expand CDC data systems, including the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Systems, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Systems, and Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System.

ADVANCE RESEARCH

• Evaluate how state, tribal, local, and territorial policies may affect use patterns and health outcomes.
• Identify risk protective factors for use and health and social outcomes.

Example Activity: Evaluate how medical and nonmedical state, tribal, local, and territorial (STLT) cannabis policies affect medication prescribing (including for opioids), health outcomes, and drug overdose.

BUILD STATE, TRIBAL, LOCAL, AND TERRITORIAL (STLT) CAPACITY

• Support peer-to-peer learning among STLT agencies.
• Provide guidance for emergency responses due to emerging harms.
• Advance application of a public health framework to STLT cannabis policy.
• Build relationships with tribal coalitions for on-reservation considerations for cannabis policy.

Example Activity: Facilitate technical assistance among STLT agencies on cannabis surveillance identifying key indicators and best practices of existing surveillance systems that can inform cannabis surveillance.

SUPPORT HEALTH SYSTEMS AND HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS

• Disseminate and integrate the evidence on benefits and harms of cannabis.
• Develop healthcare provider education and tools.
• Identify healthcare screening tools and protocols.

Example Activity: Review the evidence of the effectiveness of cannabis as a medical treatment, such as for pain management and the treatment of opioid use disorder and inform continuing medical education.

PARTNER WITH PUBLIC SAFETY, SCHOOLS, AND COMMUNITY COALITIONS

• Engage with substance use prevention community-based coalitions.
• Support development and implementation of evidence-based programs for schools and communities.
• Identify public health and public safety data-sharing models.

Example Activity: Offer opportunities to community-based coalitions to learn about evidence-based substance use prevention strategies to address youth cannabis use.

IMPROVE PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS

• Conduct public health message testing.
• Develop and implement public education materials.
• Evaluate campaigns.

Example Activity: Develop web content and fact sheets to educate the public, including populations such as youth, pregnant persons, and workers, on the benefits and harms of cannabis use.