Can certain strains of cannabis help treat epilepsy? Would tackling Nevada’s illegal cannabis market reduce youth drug usage? Is there a way to predict who is most susceptible to overuse? These were some of the questions addressed during a Sept. 5 showcase hosted by the UNLV Cannabis Policy Institute, where college students presented evidence-based recommendations to solve pressing industry challenges and better understand cannabis impacts.
Although cannabis is legal in Nevada, it remains a Schedule I substance at the federal level. That classification continues to restrict research access and funding, limiting what we know about the full range of cannabis impacts. “There’s just such a range of sociological, economic, psychological and biological impacts that cannabis can have and that we are missing the boat on if we are not studying it,” Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) told attendees.
One student, Adriana Carrillo, examined whether synthetic alternatives can replicate the therapeutic effects of cannabis sativa. Her research explored the strain’s potential to address nausea, chronic pain, inflammation and especially epilepsy. While benzodiazepines treat seizures but cause side effects, Carrillo found cannabidiol (CBD) can reduce seizures without those drawbacks. Because federal limits make cannabis-based research difficult, she turned to the caraway plant to create a synthetic CBD with a similar molecular structure and innovative approach to studying medical cannabis impacts in a controlled way.
Another presentation by sophomore Mia Tschan highlighted Nevada’s illicit cannabis market, which generates an estimated $370 million in untaxed revenue. Taxes on legal cannabis sales, which partly fund K-12 education, have dropped since 2021 even as illegal sales climb. Tschan linked this to Nevada having one of the nation’s highest youth usage rates—nearly 16 percent of those aged 12 to 17 reported using marijuana in the past month. She argued that public health campaigns about synthetic cannabinoids such as SPICE or K2 could steer consumers toward legal, tested products and reduce harmful cannabis impacts on young people.
Graduate student Frankie Nieblas turned to national survey data on Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD). His analysis showed that about 2.5 percent of U.S. adults meet criteria for CUD and that the disorder often correlates with underlying mental health concerns. By modeling demographic patterns, he identified groups at higher risk, underscoring the need for harm-reduction strategies and deeper research into long-term cannabis impacts across communities.
Taken together, the UNLV showcase demonstrated how student research can illuminate overlooked cannabis impacts from medical breakthroughs to public health policies helping Nevada and the nation make smarter, evidence-based decisions about the future of cannabis.