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Cannabis Policy Institute at UNLV News

The Cannabis Policy Institute at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas is dedicated to the development and advancement of cannabis research, policy, and education.

Current Cannabis Policy Institute News

Some early studying during the opening week of the Spring 2026 semester (Josh Hawkins/UNLV).
Campus News |

A look at some of the most eye-grabbing headlines featuring UNLV faculty, staff, and students.

Fall 25 commencement2
Campus News |

A collection of the top news headlines featuring UNLV faculty and students.

Students on campus.
Campus News |

A selection of top news headlines featuring UNLV faculty and students.

First day of classes.
Campus News |

The top news stories starring university students and staff.

Campus beauty.
Campus News |

A collection of the most prominent news stories from last month featuring UNLV staff and students.

June campus horizon shot
Campus News |

The top headlines featuring UNLV’s staff and students.

Cannabis Policy Institute In The News

Nevada Independent

The decline resulted in a drop in contributions from the cannabis industry to the State Education Fund.

Fox News

After years of backing the legalization of marijuana in the U.S., The New York Times changed course in an editorial published Tuesday.

MMJ Daily

Nevada's illegal cannabis market remains resilient as dispensaries lower costs to appeal to customers on and off The Strip, according to policy experts and state data. The State of Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board released the taxable sales data for 2025, reporting nearly $758 million from the regulated industry, down 8.6% from last year.

MJBizDaily

Annual Nevada cannabis sales dropped to $758 million from July 2024 to June 2025, down from $829 million over the prior fiscal year, according to state Cannabis Compliance Board data released last week. But as in other states with declining sales revenue, Nevada cannabis retailers aren’t selling less product, according to one observer.

KLAS-TV: 8 News Now

“Our analysis of the sales, unequivocally shows that people were not buying less, the prices were just going down,” Riana Durrett, executive director of the UNLV Cannabis Policy Institute, said. “And that is natural, and that’s expected to happen.”

Fox News

The popularity of cannabis continues to rise in 2026, with statistics showing that around 15% of Americans are current users, and more than 22% have used it sometime in the past year. As more people cut out alcohol amid the Dry January trend, dispensaries have reported a surge in marijuana sales, leading to what some industry insiders and media outlets have dubbed "High January."

Recent Cannabis Policy Institute Accomplishments

The Cannabis Policy Institute and William S. Boyd School of Law at UNLV, including Director Riana Durrett (UNLV Cannabis Policy Institute), were proud to welcome national cannabis law figure, Robert Mikos to the school as a visiting scholar on February 9. Mikos, whose research interests include federalism, constitutional law, drug law and policy…
Riana Durrett. Marla Royne Stafford, Julianna Ness, Margaret McLetchie, Jordyn Sanders (all Cannabis Policy Institute at UNLV) had their paper, “Integrating Cannabis and Gaming: Re-evaluating their business intersection,” accepted for publication in the Journal of Cannabis Research, the top ranked journal in the cannabis field.  
The Cannabis Policy Institute at UNLV is honored to announce the institute has been awarded a grant through California's Department of Cannabis Control Cannabis Academic Research Grants Program. The proposal, "Pathways to Partnership with the Tribal Cannabis Market," will help develop partnerships between California state and tribal regulators in…
Director Riana Durrett (UNLV Cannabis Policy Institute) participated in the December MJBizCon event, speaking on a panel with American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp President, Michael Bronstein; Dutchie VP for Marketing, Bryan Barash; and National Cannabis Industry Association Director of Government Relations, Michelle Rutter Friberg.…
Cannabis Policy Institute Director Riana Durrett and CPI Director of Research Marla Royne Stafford presented "Cannabis and Gambling" research at the 2025 Cannabis Research Conference on October 7th in Portland, Oregon. The research, which examines the intersection of gaming and cannabis — including the effect of legal status on usage patterns…
The Cannabis Policy Institute at UNLV hosted its Student Showcase of Cannabis Research and Policy on Sept. 5 with special remarks by Congresswoman Dina Titus as well as The Lincy Institute and Brookings Mountain West Executive Director David Damore. and UNLV faculty Rochelle Hines and Showcase Chair Dustin Hines. Undergraduate and graduate…