Who are we?

Formed in 2012, The Humboldt Institute for Interdisciplinary Marijuana Research is the first academic research institute devoted to cannabis research. It is a research and analysis organization created to fill various information gaps about marijuana issues. The Institute is a local, regional, state and national resource. It conducts, analyzes and disseminates research and provides expertise to policy makers, health care and medical professionals, businesses and the media, among others. An information clearinghouse, the Institute promotes rigorous and scholarly scientific study of marijuana issues. The Institute's purpose is analysis, not advocacy. It takes no position, for example, on legalization or decriminalization. Likewise, it offers no classes or training programs. Cal Poly Humboldt is a logical home for the Institute because of our interdisciplinary expertise in the environment and natural resources. The marijuana industry has a major impact in these areas, as well as on the region's economy and social fabric. As laws about and perceptions of marijuana issues evolve, the Institute will share information, contribute research to public policy debates and help broaden community and national understanding.

Objectives

The Institute’s objectives are to:

  • Create a high-profile Institute within Cal Poly Humboldt for the purpose of providing marijuana policy analysis;
  • Promote rigorous scientific and scholarly opportunities for faculty, staff, and students;
  • Encourage scholarly and policy collaborations with researchers from other institutions;
  • Serve as a clearinghouse of marijuana related research.

In order to accomplish these objectives, the Institute will engage in the following activities:

  • Collect, analyze and disseminate data to the public and to policymakers;
  • Collaborate with other institutions and agencies to support and enhance existing as well as ongoing projects and goals;
  • Submit proposals for internal and external research funding; and
  • Preserve and archive data through the Humboldt Library Special Collections Unit.

Research goals focus on data collection and assessment methods that can be used to enhance knowledge available to communities, researchers, educators, and others in better understanding the past, present, and potential future role of marijuana at it relates to the regional economy, workforce development, health, environment, and community relations.

Contact 

Dr. Dominic Corva
Co-Director
(206) 228-0509
dominic.corva@humboldt.edu

Dr. Whitney Ogle
Co-Director & Assistant Professor of Kinesiology
(707) 826-5929
Whitney.Ogle@humboldt.edu