Evidence-Based Studies

STUDY TITLE: Knowledge and Perception of Pediatric Patient Caregivers on Medical Marijuana

GRANTEES: Askal Ali, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Fatimah Sherbeny, Assistant Professor, Economics, Social and Administrative Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

SUMMARY: This study aims to measure pediatric patient caregivers’ knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of medical marijuana.

STUDY TITLE: Marijuana, Mental Health, and FAMU

GRANTEES: DeAnna Burney, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Psychology, and Huijin Li, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Assistant Director, Center for Ethnic Psychological Research and Application, Department of Psychology

SUMMARY: This project examines the epidemiological impact of intergenerational marijuana use on mental health in young African American populations and explores and tracks the psychological conditions related to marijuana use and other co-occurring drug use.

STUDY TITLE: Medical Marijuana Dispensary Locations and Neighborhood Crime

GRANTEE: Andrew Chin, Interim Dean, School of Architecture and Engineering Technology

SUMMARY: To address the equity implication of zoning medical marijuana dispensaries (MMDs), a study for Tallahassee will be developed and result in a GIS map of Tallahassee indicating existing and potential medical marijuana MMD sites. The potential MMD sites will neither concentrate dispensaries within a certain socioeconomic group nor isolate access to a privileged few. This will help planners and policymakers in the city and state develop and permit MMDs in a more equitable manner.

STUDY TITLE: Exploring Minority Entrepreneur Access to Opportunities to the Medical Marijuana Industry

GRANTEES: Jennifer Bowers, Ph.D., Assistant Provost and Associate Professor, School of Business and Industry, and LaTanya White, MBA, Instructor, School of Business and Industry

SUMMARY: Florida has one of the nation’s fastest-growing markets for medical marijuana with 13 active vertically integrated operators with approximately 222 dispensaries statewide. Our evidence-based research project focuses on examining the barriers to entry for minority entrepreneurs and proposing research-based solutions for minorities to participate in the lucrative business opportunities associated with the medical marijuana industry.

STUDY TITLE: An Examination of the Perceived Effects of Medical Marijuana

GRANTEE: Brian Hickey, Ph.D., CSCS, Associate Professor, Department of Health and Physical Education

SUMMARY: This study seeks a better understanding of the perceptions of medical marijuana related to physical activity and other associated health constructs. Specifically, the perceived effects of prescription cannabinoids on physical activity, mental state, sleep, physical and mental recovery from stress, appetite, use of prescription opioids, pain management, and use in competitive athletics.

STUDY TITLE: Assessing the Knowledge and Perceptions of Community Members Specific to the Compassionate Use of Marijuana

GRANTEES: Marisa Lewis, Pharm.D., MPH, Associate Professor, School of Allied Health Sciences and Lon’Tejuana Cooper, Ph.D., Associate Professor, School of Allied Health Sciences

SUMMARY: The study seeks to understand the knowledge and perceptions of community-based individuals specific to medical marijuana and provide pilot data for a larger project focused on educating community-based individuals, with a special focus on minority elders, on the uses of medical marijuana. 

STUDY TITLE: Mixed Methods Study of Medical Marijuana Use Among Minority Patients

GRANTEES: John Luque, Ph.D., MPH, Associate Professor, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Arinzechukwu Okere, PharmD, MS, MBA, BPCS, Associate Professor, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

SUMMARY: This pilot study will explore the therapeutic benefits of medical marijuana for pain alleviation, overall well-being, and other beneficial effects in a diverse patient population. In addition, the patient survey will query whether the use of medical marijuana has reduced the use of other pain medications as has been reported in other studies.

STUDY TITLE: An Investigation on Marijuana Consumption in the Construction Industry in Florida

GRANTEE: Behnam “Ben” Shadravan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, School of Architecture and Engineering Technology

SUMMARY: This study will investigate the impact medical marijuana could have on safety and employment in Florida’s construction industry and determine which sectors of the construction industry suffer more because of medical and recreational marijuana use. Already there is substantial use of illegal marijuana among people who have jobs in which safety is a key concern. The study will include surveys of contractors of different sizes and job categories in Tallahassee, and, if time and budget allow, Panhandle areas damaged by Hurricane Michael.

STUDY TITLE: To What Extent Do Mental Health and Psychosocial Factors Predict Risk for Misuse and Neuropsychological Impairment in African American Marijuana Users?

GRANTEE: Gwendolyn Singleton, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Psychology

SUMMARY: The purpose of this research project is to study how mental health, social and emotional factors relate to risk for medication misuse and thinking problems in medical marijuana users. This study seeks to understand the underlying psychological factors related to medical marijuana misuse. It explores the underlying mental health and psychosocial factors that relate to risk for cannabis use disorder and neurocognitive impairment.

STUDY TITLE: An Analysis of the Marijuana Wellness Intervention on Community, Coping, Substance-Awareness, Self-Efficacy, and Self-Regulation Enhancement via Education (Marijuana WICSE) Project

GRANTEES: Novell Tani, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, and Arie Christon, M.S., Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Psychology

SUMMARY: Implementing a novel structured, community-based educational intervention, this project strives to increase individuals’ knowledge surrounding the medical use of marijuana and the impacts of medical marijuana and the unlawful use of marijuana in minority communities. The study will assess pre- and post-coping styles, substance awareness (knowledge), self-reported efficacies, and ability to regulate marijuana usage, as well as overall wellness level (namely anxiety, depression, and physiological responses).  

STUDY TITLE: A Study of the Correlation Between the Levels of Awareness and Willingness to Use Medical Marijuana as a Therapeutic Intervention in Individuals of Minority Populations with Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms

GRANTEE: Gari Tookes, Ph.D., Associate Professor, College of Social Sciences, Department of Social Work

SUMMARY: This study utilizes a mixed-method research approach to explore the awareness and willingness to use medical marijuana as a therapeutic intervention among individuals of minority races diagnosed with post-traumatic stress symptoms. In addition, this study will identify a correlation between participants of the minority race experience with trauma, awareness of medical marijuana policies and laws, willingness to use medical marijuana in lieu of psychotropic medication among those with post-traumatic stress symptoms.