Riana Durrett, Director of Cannabis Policy Institute at UNLV – Interview Series

The University of Nevada at Las Vegas stands out as a university for numerous academic reasons. However, the university may as well be an Ivy League school when it comes to future cannabis policy. Since August of 2023, the Cannabis Policy Institute has been hosting crucial panel discussions and published incredibly thorough and important reports detailing everything from the current economic state of the Nevada cannabis industry to the many levels of challenges that come with cannabis marketing. Once again, mycannabis.com has the pleasure of speaking with Riana Durrett, Vice Chair of the Cannabis Compliance Board and Director of the Cannabis Policy Institute.

When was the Cannabis Policy Institute created, and what led to its creation? When it comes to the UNLV administration, what steps had to be taken to create such a new yet considerably important department, given the size of the Nevada cannabis industry?

The UNLV Board of Regents approved the request to establish the Cannabis Policy Institute in September 2022. Brooking Mountain West and the current Chair of the Board of Clark County Commissioners, Tick Segerblom had urged UNLV to consider creation of such an Institute given the need in the state and country for cannabis research and policy work. President Whitfield and Provost Chris Heavey took up the cause and it actually became an initiative of the President. The President and Provost have provided invaluable support and guidance. The final steps to really get the Institute launched, after it was approved, involved assembling a talented and experienced advisory board and hiring an executive director.

Because we’re discussing the Nevada cannabis industry and because I’m sure some of our readers are wondering it themselves, but why aren’t gaming establishments able to work with licensed cannabis businesses? Is it because of the federal cannabis policy, or is it because of various state laws?

Nevada’s gaming regulators have advised gaming licensees that they cannot invest in cannabis businesses and they cannot participate in legalized cannabis business activity due to its status as a controlled substance. However, there are further separations, such as state law requiring a 1,500 setback between a cannabis and a gaming establishment and a Clark County ordinance prohibiting delivery to the strip corridor. So the answer is all of the above, federal, state, local, and state administrative regulations. However, there are interesting conversations that are ongoing around this issue as cannabis rescheduling and other cannabis developments continue to evolve.

When it comes to the valuable research and reports on the Nevada cannabis industry that the CPI has produced, what reports have the CPI published with that research, and what common trends in the Nevada industry is that research showing overall?

One report the CPI published, authored by Dr. Robin Goldstein and Dr. Olena Sambucci, provides a comprehensive look at the cannabis economy in Nevada, including the stability and potential growth in the market. The report looks at sales by product type, where sales appear to be heading, and what challenges are preventing the cannabis industry from gaining market share from the illegal market.

The CPI’s report on cannabis policy in Nevada involved discussions with approximately 60 stakeholders and extensive framing and explanation of the most pressing issues in Nevada cannabis policy and law. Finally, another report looks at the rise of the hemp beverage throughout the United States, which is a fascinating new market that has swept several states and is fairly unknown in Nevada circles.

What methods are used to collect all this important data in this rapidly changing industry? As someone who’s worked in the Nevada industry myself, I imagine it would be difficult to find common trends throughout, given the frequent turbulence of this state’s cannabis industry.

The data depends on the research, but we were able to access previously unexamined data from the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board for the economic report. We obtained sales data through public records requests, which were then analyzed by Dr. Goldstein and Dr. Sambucci. For the policy report, we conducted extensive discussions and information gathering. For a pending research project on gaming and cannabis behaviors we conducted a survey through a program called Prolific. We have researchers at UNLV conducting research through various qualitative and quantitative methods and I’m just glad to help support them in their efforts.

Since its inception, how does the Institute fulfill its mission statement of being the “trusted source for cannabis policy and research guidance, education, and community engagement”?

As the first director of the Institute, I have been fortunate that the CPI’s work has been welcomed and supported by many throughout the state and nationally. We have had a very busy first year hosting policy discussions, disseminating information about cannabis research, publishing articles, presenting on various topics, expanding cannabis law curriculum, responding to press inquiries, supporting research grant requests, and much more. We even managed to host an inaugural policy symposium. One way that the CPI expanded education on cannabis is to work directly with several students, including graduate assistants and legal externs. I have many more goals to fulfill, but thank you to the support of the advisory board, leadership at UNLV, and many people in cannabis policy and research circles, that CPI had a productive first year.

In the recent newsletter, you mentioned how the CPI is “expanding our educational offerings at UNLV’s William S. Boyd School of Law.” How is the program expanding, and does that involve thorough courses in cannabis law?

Initially, I taught the only cannabis law course- Cannabis Law & Policy. I have been able to assist in expanding the classes to now offering Cannabis Regulation taught by Amanda Connor and Cannabis Land Use taught by former state senator Dallas Harris. I anticipate several other courses will be offered in the near future as well, including possibly a course on intellectual property law relating to cannabis businesses among others.

I wanted to ask about the first annual Cannabis Policy Institute Symposium in December of 2024. What subjects were discussed during the symposium and who were some of the most notable speakers/guests to attend the symposium?

I was grateful to work with Strategies 64’s Jordan Wellington and Mason Tvert to bring together cannabis industry thought leaders, attorneys, experts, and policymakers from around the country and even Canada. The two main panels were on public consumption and intoxicating hemp. We also heard presentations from the authors of each of the reports the CPI published in advance of the symposium.

What do you hope the outcomes for the attendees and speakers alike will be of very important symposiums such as the one in December?

The overarching purpose of the symposium is for people immersed in cannabis policy to learn from each other and to be able to continue their conversations even after the symposium ends. We received resoundingly positive feedback from attendees who were able to make valuable contacts or check-in with ones they already had as well as learning from the expert panelists.

What are some upcoming plans for the CPI, and how does the institute plan to continue strengthening the Nevada cannabis industry?

The CPI will continue to host policy discussions and share information that can help support thoughtful cannabis policy discourse and decision making. We are currently planning an event to present Dr. Goldsein’s report on how legalization of sales of cannabis across state lines could impact cannabis markets throughout the country and host a follow-up to our discussion last year on gaming and cannabis. One new endeavor will be to develop a central repository for cannabis data. I’m also confident we will be able to publish another article or two focusing on the relationship (and lack thereof) between the cannabis and gaming industries. In general, the CPI will continue its work expanding, coordinating, and promoting cannabis policy, research, and education.

Thank you for joining us again, Riana! For more information on the Cannabis Policy Institute at UNLV, please visit its very informative website.