Visitors and staff gather at the Institute of Cannabis Research booth during the conference. Photo courtesy of the Institute of Cannabis Research at Colorado State University Pueblo.

CSU Pueblo institute hosts largest national cannabis research conference

The 10th annual event drew more than 400 attendees, the largest crowd in its history.

The Institute of Cannabis Research at Colorado State University Pueblo hosted the 10th annual National Cannabis Research Conference in San Diego from Oct. 19 to 21, 2026, to share emerging research on cannabis.

The Institute of Cannabis Research (ICR) is based at CSU Pueblo in southern Colorado. It supports research addressing questions facing Colorado and the nation. The 2026 conference brought together scientists, health care professionals, policymakers, attorneys, judges, industry representatives, educators, and researchers from across the country.

More than 400 attendees and more than 200 presentations, panels, and research posters filled the three-day program. The Institute introduced the National Cannabis Research Conference name this year. It also established a new partnership with the National Interdisciplinary Cannabis Symposium (NICS), which widened the event’s reach across disciplines.

National speakers address research priorities

Susan Weiss, Director of the Division of Extramural Research at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, gave the keynote address. Weiss oversees NIDA’s extramural research programs and major national research initiatives. Her keynote stressed rigorous science and continued federal investment in research on cannabis and public health.

Ziva Cooper, Professor and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), delivered the Mechoulam Lecture. Cooper also directs the UCLA Center for Cannabis and Cannabinoids. Her research examines the therapeutic potential and adverse effects of cannabis and cannabinoids, including pain, cannabinoid pharmacology, sex differences, and the role cannabinoids might play in reducing opioid use. The lecture recognized her contributions to the scientific understanding of cannabis and its effects on public health.

A presentation slide recalling Raphael Mechoulam's 2017 visit to Pueblo for the Institute's first cannabis research conference.
A presentation slide recalls Raphael Mechoulam’s 2017 visit to Pueblo for the Institute’s first cannabis research conference. Photo courtesy of the Institute of Cannabis Research at Colorado State University Pueblo.

Seven tracks link research to policy and practice

The 2026 program included seven research tracks. The tracks covered American jurisprudence, education and economic development, medical and clinical research, plant genetics and chemistry, plant physiology and cultivation, processes and uses, and regulations and policy.

Scientific presentations, expert panels, workshops, and poster sessions gave attendees a forum to explore new findings. Researchers shared discoveries with policymakers, clinicians, legal professionals, and industry partners who help turn research into practice.

The conference also emphasized student engagement. Research presentations, poster awards, and networking sessions connected students with established investigators and national experts.

Two people discuss a research poster while other attendees look on.
Attendees review a research poster during a poster session at the conference. Photo courtesy of the Institute of Cannabis Research at Colorado State University Pueblo.

A milestone for CSU Pueblo and the Institute

The 2026 conference reflects ICR’s growth and its role in advancing high-quality, objective cannabis research and education. Over the past 10 years, the conference has grown alongside rising demand for credible research and collaboration in a fast-moving field.

Marion McNabb, Director of the Institute of Cannabis Research, welcomed attendees. The welcome recognized the event’s history, the leaders who established it, and the researchers and partners who continue to advance the field.

Marion McNabb speaks at a conference event.
Marion McNabb, Director of the Institute of Cannabis Research, speaks at a conference event. Photo courtesy of the Institute of Cannabis Research at Colorado State University Pueblo.

Joanna Zeiger, conference chair, led the 2026 event. The planning committee, presenters, sponsors, volunteers, NICS, Judge Mary Celeste, and the many participating institutions and organizations also made the conference possible.

ICR will build on this year’s success to expand national partnerships, support emerging research priorities, and create more opportunities for students, scientists, clinicians, and industry collaborators.

The next National Cannabis Research Conference will take place in Orlando, Florida, from Oct. 25 to 27, 2027. Partners include ICR, NICS, the Mid-Atlantic Cannabinoid Research Collaborative, the Cannabis Clinical Outcomes Research Conference on behalf of the Consortium for Medical Marijuana Clinical Outcomes Research, and the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research at the University of California San Diego.

Learn more about ICR’s research initiatives, funding opportunities, educational programs, and upcoming events at http://www.instituteofcannabisresearchcolorado.org.

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