Cannabis Regulators Association Has Its First Leader

Posted by Brian Sparks|October 7, 2021

The Cannabis Regulators Association (CANNRA), a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization of cannabis regulators that was established to share institutional knowledge and develop cannabis best practices, has named Gillian Schauer, Ph.D., MPH as the organization’s first Executive Director. Schauer comes to CANNRA with nearly two decades of work in public health and drug policy. She previously founded and led a multi-state learning collaborative on public health and cannabis for state health officials. She regularly provides consultation to state and federal agencies on the development of cannabis regulation, policy trends, and their outcomes. Schauer had been serving as a Senior Advisor to CANNRA and its members for the last several years, aiding in program development, policy tracking, and regulator roundtable convenings.

“I am honored to continue working with CANNRA in this new capacity,” Schauer says. “It’s a dynamic time, with many states legalizing adult and medical cannabis use, and with ongoing discussion around federal legalization. Cannabis regulators have practical knowledge and valuable lessons to share with state, municipal, and federal officials. Among other things, I look forward to facilitating and furthering that important information exchange.”

CANNRA now has 35 member states and territories. In addition to the 19 founding member states (Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, and Washington), CANNRA welcomes cannabis regulators from Arizona, Alaska, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, the District of Columbia, and Guam.

The Cannabis Regulators Association is not an advocacy group and takes no formal position for or against cannabis legalization, but rather seeks to provide local, state, and federal government jurisdictions with unbiased information to help make informed decisions when considering whether or how to legalize or expand regulated cannabis. The organization has more than a dozen special committees focused on information exchange, harmonization, and development of best practices across a range of cannabis policy areas from laboratory testing and product safety to social and economic equity to packaging, labeling, and advertising. More information about CANNRA is available here.