The 2026 Safety Signal Award Nomination

Patients, consumers, families, and healthcare professionals face an overwhelming amount of cannabis information, but not all of it is reliable, understandable, or useful. Decades of prohibition produced exaggerated warnings and stigma, while commercial expansion has introduced marketing claims that sometimes overstate benefits or minimize risks. Scientific findings can also be difficult to interpret, particularly when emerging research is presented without sufficient context. Both misinformation and confusion can undermine informed decision-making.

The Safety Signal Award recognizes public education campaigns and initiatives that make complicated cannabis safety information accessible, and actionable. These efforts translate scientific, medical, regulatory, and public health knowledge into guidance people can use to evaluate claims, recognize potential harms, understand treatment options, and make responsible decisions. Effective education also creates opportunities for honest conversations about what is known, what remains uncertain, and where additional research is needed.

The 2026 nominees- Cannabis Public School, Realm of Caring Foundation, Personal Plants, and the Society of Cannabis Clinicians Dispensary Clinicians Committee- demonstrate how education can reach people through community learning, patient support, harm-reduction resources, and clinical guidance. Their work advances a more cannabis-literate public equipped to ask informed questions, engage with healthcare professionals, and navigate cannabis safely without relying on fear, stigma, or unsupported assurances.

Learn more about the Safety Signal Award and the nominees' role in Cannabis Safety.

If you appreciate ASA's work, sign up for alerts and updates, and make a donation to support ASA's vital mission.