Press Releases

Americans for Safe Access’ 2026 Cannabis Safety Awards Highlight People & Programs Addressing Concerns About Youth Access, Impaired Driving, Product Safety, Research, and Public Health and Invite the Public to “Face Fear with Facts.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — October 15, 2026 — As federal cannabis rescheduling intensifies national debate over youth access, impaired driving, product safety, health risks, research gaps, and patient protections, Americans for Safe Access (ASA) announced 66 nominees across 17 categories for the 2026 Cannabis Safety Awards, bringing national attention to the people, programs, research, and innovations already advancing solutions to many of the concerns now at the center of that debate.

++Awards materials include analysis of the safety issues behind 17 award categories, profiles of 66 nominees, graphics, and photos. Contact [email protected] to coordinate interviews. Download Cannabis Safety Award Sample Ballot  ++

The Awards are part of Cannabis Safety Month, ASA’s national public-education campaign that recognizes community concerns, highlights practical solutions, and brings patients, healthcare professionals, researchers, public officials, businesses, families, advocates, and other stakeholders into the conversation about what comes next for cannabis safety and medical access.

ASA created Cannabis Safety Month to recognize the legitimacy of community concerns while making clear they are not being ignored. Across the country, researchers are investigating both health risks and therapeutic benefits, laboratories are strengthening testing and transparency, and healthcare professionals are developing better clinical and educational resources. Patient advocates are working to protect access and improve care, while innovators are creating practical tools for safer dosing, storage, product quality, and everyday use.

“Medical cannabis patients and advocates share many of the concerns being raised about cannabis safety,” said Steph Sherer, Founder and Executive Director of Americans for Safe Access. “We care about youth access, impaired driving, contamination, dosing, drug interactions, product quality, and emerging health risks. Those concerns should lead to better research and better systems, not arguments for returning to prohibition or increasing restrictions on patient access. Our hope is that by highlighting the people already working on these issues, those with concerns will face fear with facts and work with us on solutions.”

The 2026 Cannabis Safety Awards recognize outstanding contributions across a wide range of cannabis safety issues. Each award highlights a different challenge and introduces the individuals and organizations developing solutions to issues that matter to patients, families, healthcare professionals, and communities.

Research is one part of that response. Marion McNabb, DrPH, MPH, a Discovery Award nominee whose work uses patient-centered and public-health data to inform cannabis policy, said, “The role of research in answering important questions about cannabis safety is paramount. I am honored to contribute to advancing the use of data in decision-making for cannabis patients.”

Youth education is another concern frequently raised in cannabis policy debates. The New York State Office of Cannabis Management, a Next Generation Award nominee, developed Cannabis Honestly to give young people, parents, caregivers, and communities better tools for talking about cannabis and to help trusted adults share credible information while keeping communication open. “The New York State Office of Cannabis Management is honored to be recognized for our role in advancing cannabis safety,” the agency said. “It reinforces our dedication to advancing public health, scientific validation, and safety standards in this evolving industry.”

Product testing and transparency are also central to the Awards. MCR Labs, a Full Disclosure Award nominee, has opened cannabis testing data to public and scientific scrutiny so regulators and researchers can better identify patterns and weaknesses in testing systems. “Open data helps regulators and researchers identify problems, learn from what works, and build safer, more effective cannabis programs,” said Yasha Kahn of MCR Labs.

Healthcare integration is another part of the cannabis safety conversation. The International Society of Cannabis Pharmacists, nominated for the Professional Standard Award, said it is committed to providing healthcare professionals with “practical, evidence-based training that supports safer patient care, informed counseling, and thoughtful integration of cannabis into clinical practice.”

For patients, safety cannot be separated from whether they can reach reliable information, knowledgeable professionals, and appropriate medical cannabis. Veterans Initiative 22, a Safe Access Award nominee, said, “Equitable access and inclusive cannabis safety matter for many reasons, but fundamentally, lives depend on them.” The organization works with veterans, service members, first responders, and their families to address education, affordability, advocacy, resources, and access barriers.

Together, the nominees illustrate ASA’s central message for Cannabis Safety Month: protecting public health and protecting medical cannabis access are complementary goals. The Awards recognize work spanning research, patient advocacy, youth education, impaired-driving prevention, clinical training, testing and transparency, dosing, storage, environmental responsibility, product preservation, investigative journalism, consumer protection, and other parts of the infrastructure needed to make cannabis safer.

 "By elevating their work, ASA hopes to bring existing research, programs, tools, and practical solutions into broader discussions about cannabis, public health, patient care, federal reform, and the integration of cannabis medicines into healthcare," continued Sherer. 

Learn about the Awards and nominees (see list below):
www.SafeAccessNow.org/Cannabis_Safety_Awards_2026

Voting info: 

Download Cannabis Safety Award Sample Ballot  

Voting Ballot www.SafeAccessNow.org/CSA2026_Vote

Public voting is open through October 25, 2026. Winners will be announced October 27, 2026.

Media Contact:
Steph Sherer, Americans for Safe Access
[email protected]

THE WATCHDOG AWARD — Excellence in Investigative Journalism

Recognizes original journalism that investigates cannabis safety issues with depth, accuracy, fairness, and public consequence. The 2026 Watchdog Award nominees are Rachelle Gordon, Edvin Brncic, Paige St. John, and Chris Roberts.

“Being nominated for the Watchdog Award: Excellence in Investigative Journalism is a massive honor. True patient protection requires an honest, transparent foundation and the willingness to ask uncomfortable questions that hold bad actors accountable. I am incredibly grateful to Americans for Safe Access for recognizing the vital role independent oversight plays in protecting this industry’s future.” - Edvin Brncic

THE PATIENT VOICE AWARD — Patient Advocacy Leadership

Recognizes individual leadership advancing cannabis safety and medical access through patient-centered advocacy, education, coalition building, or policy work. The 2026 Patient Voice Award nominees are Shonda Broom, RN, CLNC, Angela S. Weston, MS, MBA, MCST, Clifton Otto, MD, Jan Morton, Nyomi Barrick-Womack, MS, Stephanie Davis, and Michelle Zang, BSN, RN.

“I am deeply honored to be recognized by Americans for Safe Access as a nominee for the 2026 Patient Voice Award. For me, cannabis safety has never been about choosing between access and caution. It is about creating a healthcare culture where patients can have honest, informed conversations about cannabis without stigma, while ensuring that education, harm reduction, responsible policy, and patient safety remain at the center. As a nurse and patient advocate, I believe patients deserve both access and protection, and I am grateful to have this work recognized.” - Shonda Broom, RN, CLNC

“I’m incredibly honored to be recognized for work that is so personal to me. I believe patients and caregivers deserve not only trustworthy cannabis education and practical support, but a meaningful voice in the conversations and decisions that affect them. Helping people feel informed, heard, respected, and empowered to advocate for themselves is at the heart of the work I do.” - Jan Morton

“I accept this nomination with deep gratitude. Over the past six years, I have committed myself to the patient experience from every angle—working hands-on in cannabis cultivation, serving patients directly behind the dispensary counter, engaging in academia as both a student and professor, and navigating the challenges of regulatory implementation. Each distinct perspective informs how I approach today’s regulatory and patient-care realities. Whenever bureaucracy creates obstacles, I am grounded by my core purpose: putting the patient first.” - Nyomi Barrick-Womack, MS

“Elite Legal Support is honored to be recognized for our role in advancing cannabis safety. We believe patients deserve a voice in the policies that affect them, and we're committed to making sure that voice is heard from the dispensary counter to the legislature.” -Stephanie Davis

“Patient safety is a priority in nursing care. It does not end with cannabis patients; rather, it needs to be recognized and amplified. I am grateful to Americans for Safe Access for this recognition.” - Michelle Zang, BSN, RN

THE DISCOVERY AWARD — Research Advancing Cannabis Safety

Recognizes an individual researcher or research team whose work expands the evidence needed to improve patient care, public education, consumer protection, professional practice, or public policy. The 2026 Discovery Award nominees are Kyle Boyar, Marion McNabb, DrPH, MPH, Stefan Broselid, PhD, Mitchell Colbert, Julie K. Johnson, PhD, Jessica Tonani, and Melani Kane, PharmD.

“I am honored to be nominated for the Cannabis Safety Research Award. The role of research in answering important questions about cannabis safety is paramount. I am honored to contribute to advancing the use of data in decision-making for cannabis patients.” - Marion McNabb, DrPH, MPH

“ECS.education is honored to be recognized for work advancing cannabis safety. My focus is on helping clinicians and patients understand the biology behind cannabinoid response — particularly CB1 receptor adaptation, tolerance, and the physiological state in which cannabis is used. Through ECSre.store, I am also working to translate that physiology into measurable biomarkers that may ultimately help distinguish inadequate treatment from pharmacological tolerance. Safer cannabinoid medicine requires us to understand not only the dose, but also the adaptive biological system receiving that dose.” - Stefan Broselid, PhD

“We are honored to be recognized for our role in advancing cannabis safety. At Verda Bio, we believe safety starts with science and our goal has always been to help build the scientific foundation needed for cannabis to be understood, evaluated, and used responsibly. We love the mission of ASA and are grateful for the nomination.” - Jessica Tonani

“I’m honored to have CbERS recognized with a 2026 Cannabis Safety Discovery Award nomination. CbERS was developed to support safer, more consistent, and evidence-informed assessment of cannabinoid therapy.” - Melani Kane, PharmD

THE PUBLIC COURAGE AWARD - Elected Official Leadership

Recognizes an elected official who advanced a practical, evidence-informed cannabis safety or medical-access solution during 2026. The 2026 Public Courage Award nominees are Georgia State Senator Matt Brass, Georgia State Representative Jasmine Clark, PhD, Rhode Island Representative Susan R. Donovan, Oklahoma State Representative Jacob Rosecrants, and Maine State Representative Marc G. Malon.

“I am honored to accept this nomination on behalf of the many dedicated and brave public servants working to ensure that legal medical cannabis is safe and accessible in Maine. We will continue our efforts to establish testing protocols for medical cannabis that protect patients’ health and safety and that allow medical cannabis providers to serve their communities with clear and consistent standards.” - Maine State Representative Marc G. Malon

THE COMMUNITY CATALYST AWARD — Collaborative Cannabis Safety Leadership

Recognizes an organization or company bringing patients, families, professionals, businesses, public officials, or other stakeholders together to address a cannabis safety need. The 2026 Community Catalyst Award nominees are Georgia Medical Cannabis Society, The North Bloom Magazine, Canna Cares, Oklahomans for Safe Access, Firefighters for Plant Medicine, and Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association.

“Bloom Multimedia LLC, dba The North Bloom Magazine, is humbled and honored to be recognized by Americans for Safe Access for our collective impact in advancing cannabis safety education. Team Bloom takes great pride in curating content that speaks directly to the needs of novice plant consumers across Minnesota’s marketplace.” - The North Bloom Magazine

“Canna Cares and owner Rick Glass are honored to be nominated for the 2026 Community Catalyst Award: Collaborative Cannabis Safety Leadership. As a Marine Corps combat veteran, cannabis educator, and person in long-term recovery, Rick uses his own recovery and sobriety story to educate and reduce stigma. Through Canna Cares, Rick continues to advocate for responsible use, public safety, and education over assumption.” - Canna Cares

“Firefighters for Plant Medicine is honored to be recognized for our work in advocating for cannabis safety. Firefighters and first responders are seeing positive results from using medical cannabis to treat PTSD, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, and alcohol abuse. We are dedicated to advancing medical cannabis access to all first responders and to help educate on safe consumption and best practices to reduce the suffering our public servants struggle with daily. Medical cannabis is changing lives and saving lives of our first responders!” - Firefighters for Plant Medicine

THE SAFETY SIGNAL AWARD - Public Education Impact

Recognizes an education campaign that makes a complex cannabis safety issue understandable, useful, and actionable. The 2026 Safety Signal Award nominees are Cannabis Public School, Realm of Caring Foundation, Personal Plants, and Society of Cannabis Clinicians Dispensary Clinicians Committee.

“Personal Plants is honored to be recognized for our role in advancing cannabis safety. Prohibition stifled the opportunity to discuss safe cannabis use, which enhances benefits and reduces risks. Regulation has opened the door for evidence-informed and harm-reduction-focused approaches to cannabis use.” - Personal Plants

“The Society of Cannabis Clinicians’ Dispensary Clinicians Committee is honored to be nominated for ASA's 2026 award, the Cannabis Safety Award. As a newer committee of SCC, we carry forward the conversations begun through the National Clinical Director Consortium, highlighting a multidisciplinary approach to cannabis care: doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and other clinical specialists coming together to improve patient outcomes. We believe safer cannabis patient care depends on knowledgeable clinicians accessible through dispensaries who offer balanced, evidence-informed education alongside of active listening and encouragement to ask questions. We’re grateful this nomination recognizes the importance of that work.” — Society of Cannabis Clinicians Dispensary Clinicians Committee

THE ROADWISE AWARD - Impaired-Driving Education & Prevention

Recognizes a campaign, training program, tool, or public-service initiative advancing education and prevention around cannabis impairment and driving safety. The 2026 Roadwise Award nominees are Chesapeake Region Safety Council and Colorado Department of Transportation.

THE NEXT GENERATION AWARD - Youth & Family Cannabis Education

Recognizes age-appropriate education helping young people, parents, caregivers, schools, and pediatric communities address cannabis honestly and responsibly. The 2026 Next Generation Award nominees are New York State Office of Cannabis Management and Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy (CSSDP).

“The New York State Office of Cannabis Management is honored to be recognized for our role in advancing cannabis safety. It reinforces our dedication to advancing public health, scientific validation, and safety standards in this evolving industry.” - New York State Office of Cannabis Management

THE MARKET WATCH AWARD -  Consumer Protection & Retail Accountability

Recognizes an independent program evaluating cannabis retail practices, labeling, accessibility, compliance, age verification, patient experience, or consumer safety. The 2026 Market Watch Award nominees are Patients for Safe Access of Oklahoma and Institute of Cannabis Science.

“The Institute of Cannabis Science is honored to be recognized by Americans for Safe Access for our work advancing cannabis safety. We believe consumers, patients, and workers deserve standards grounded in sound science, accurate testing, and transparent information. This nomination reinforces why independent science and evidence-based consumer protection matter as the cannabis industry continues to evolve.” - Institute of Cannabis Science

THE SAFE ACCESS AWARD -  Equitable Access & Inclusive Cannabis Safety

Recognizes efforts that remove barriers to credible safety information, healthcare resources, practical support, or medical cannabis access. The 2026 Safe Access Award nominees are Veterans Initiative 22, My TCBD Inc., Global Cannabis Research Center, Maine Office of Cannabis Policy, and Nikki and The Plant.

“Veterans Initiative 22 is deeply honored to be nominated for the Safe Access Award and recognized for our role in advancing cannabis safety. Equitable access and inclusive cannabis safety matter for many reasons, but fundamentally, lives depend on them. We see safe and affordable medical cannabis access as a necessary tool to veteran suicide prevention. We are grateful to Americans for Safe Access for recognizing this work and for championing the patients at the center of it.” - Veterans Initiative 22

“My TCBD is deeply honored by this opportunity to be recognized for our commitment to advancing cannabis consumer safety and advocating for greater transparency throughout the cannabis industry. We believe every consumer deserves to know what is in the products they trust and use for their health and wellness. Consumer safety begins with transparency, responsible manufacturing, accurate information, and meaningful standards that protect patients and consumers. We also believe that government, industry, healthcare professionals, and advocates can work collaboratively at every level to establish an ethical segmented regulatory framework that recognizes and supports the legitimate medical use of cannabis and its potential health benefits.” - My TCBD Inc.

“I’m humbled to be nominated for the 2026 Cannabis Safety Award. I founded the Global Cannabinoid Research Center in 2018 to study plants. Quickly, it became an immersion into the ECS and a study of people having issues from converted cannabinoids. From tolerance sickness, it’s not easy to address these issues head-on across social media networks. When you’re digging deep with the community, access is such an issue that people drop their guard for safety. It’s so important that industry shifts focus to the patient, not the profit and not the product.” - Mike Robinson, Global Cannabis Research Center

THE PROFESSIONAL STANDARD AWARD - Cannabis Safety Professional Education & Training

Recognizes professional development, continuing education, certification, or workforce training that strengthens cannabis safety knowledge and practice. The 2026 Professional Standard Award nominees are CannabizMD, Cannify, Cannabis Safety & Quality, International Society of Cannabis Pharmacists, and Project Destigmatize HealTHCare.

“Being nominated by Americans for Safe Access, an organization I have long admired, during Cannabis Safety Month is a full-circle moment for me. CannabizMD's mission has always been to educate, build and engage an ecosystem of stakeholders committed to delivering optimal patient and product outcomes, because well-trained professionals are the foundation of patient safety. This nomination belongs to every operator, clinician, regulator and student who chose to do the work of learning it right.” - Jacquie Cohen Roth, MS, CannabizMD

“Cannify is honored to be named a nominee for a 2026 Americans for Safe Access Cannabis Safety Award. Our science-based education for budtenders is grounded in peer-reviewed pharmacology and delivered by a team of cannabinoid PhDs and a cannabis pharmacist. Cannify's founder, Dr. Linda Klumpers, is a clinical pharmacologist with 20 years of cannabinoid research experience. The Cannify Medical Budtender Basics course, built on the BUDDY™ framework, has been shown to improve budtenders' knowledge and confidence, and it is now Vermont's state-mandated training. Our goal is to give patients in every state the same standard of safe, science-based guidance.”-Cannify

“GMPs should always be top of mind, not just when your product gets recalled. These awards raise awareness of common safety battles many operators face, but in a positive way that spotlights the industry’s good actors. We’re thrilled to be nominated for this award and we hope this overall campaign inspires everyone to advocate for safe and quality products, not just because your state requires it, but because you know it’s what consumers and patients deserve.” -Cannabis Safety & Quality

“ISCPh is honored to be recognized for advancing cannabis safety through education. We are committed to providing healthcare professionals with practical, evidence-based training that supports safer patient care, informed counseling, and thoughtful integration of cannabis into clinical practice.”- International Society of Cannabis Pharmacists

“Project Destigmatize HealTHCare is honored to be recognized by Americans for Safe Access for our work advancing cannabis safety through professional education and healthcare integration. We believe patients are safer when healthcare professionals are prepared to recognize cannabis use as clinically relevant information, ask informed questions without stigma, and translate that information into better care. Our work is about helping build the knowledge, language, and systems healthcare needs to see what is affecting the patients we serve.” -Project Destigmatize HealTHCare

THE LOCK IT DOWN AWARD - Safe Storage Innovation

Recognizes products and systems that help prevent unauthorized access, accidental ingestion, loss, or diversion. The 2026 Lock It Down Award nominees are Maine Office of Cannabis Policy, Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, and Stashlogix.

“As a father, cannabis safety was personal to me, and it became our mission. I started STASHLOGIX in 2014 because I had two young kids at home and believed safe storage needed to happen in order to break some of the cannabis stigmas. I’m incredibly proud to see that simple idea being recognized—and to have spent the last 12 years helping make safer storage the norm, not the exception.” - Skip Stone, Founder, Stashlogix

THE FRESHNESS BY DESIGN AWARD - Product Preservation Innovation

Recognizes products and technologies that protect cannabis quality and integrity from environmental exposure, contamination, damage, or tampering. The 2026 Freshness by Design Award nominees are Cannador and Vivi, formerly Boveda.

THE GREEN STANDARD AWARD - Sustainability Leadership & Innovation

Recognizes products, programs, technologies, facilities, or business practices that reduce the environmental impact of cannabis without compromising safety or access. The 2026 Green Standard Award nominees are CROP Project and Sun and Earth Certified.

THE FLOWER FORWARD AWARD - Whole-Flower Vaporization Innovation

Recognizes whole-flower vaporization technologies that advance temperature control, materials safety, cleanability, dose awareness, usability, and consumer guidance. The 2026 Flower Forward Award nominees are Clean Torch, STORZ & BICKEL, and PAX.

“It’s an honor to be nominated for an award that honors plant integrity and consumer health. If you care deeply about the quality of the cannabis you consume, your heat source should never be an afterthought.” -Sev Isayan, CEO & Founder, Clean Torch

“STORZ & BICKEL is the world’s leading vaporizer brand and a pioneer in vaporization technology. Engineered and manufactured in Germany, the company is known for premium, combustion-free vaporizers that set international standards in quality, safety, and performance. We are honored to be nominated and recognized for our work designing safe and effective products with a premium design standard.” -STORZ & BICKEL

“We’re incredibly honored to be recognized by Americans for Safe Access, an organization that has done so much to advance safe, responsible access to cannabis. We’ve always believed people deserve better, safer ways to experience cannabis. For nearly two decades, we’ve worked to move the industry forward through thoughtful innovation, rigorous testing, and better education, so people can make more informed choices about what and how they consume. We’re proud to be recognized alongside so many working to set a higher standard for cannabis.” - PAX

THE KNOW YOUR DOSE AWARD — Precision Dosing & Measurement

Recognizes devices, tools, packaging, or systems that help patients and adult consumers measure, portion, track, or understand cannabis dosing more consistently. The 2026 Know Your Dose Award nominees are PhytoRX, 7 Stars Holistic Healing Center, and Tetragram.

“7 Stars Holistic Healing Center appreciates the opportunity to spread the word about cannabis safety. Our mission has always put safety, education, and lifelong learning first, and it's rewarding to have external validation of our work.” - Zee Handoush, Executive Director, 7 Stars Holistic Healing Center

“Tetragram is honored to be recognized for our role in advancing cannabis safety. We see our medical cannabis journal app as a vital tool that empowers individuals to safely document their unique symptoms, track product effects, and decode their optimal usage to find personal relief securely and reliably.” - Tetragram

THE FULL DISCLOSURE AWARD - Excellence in Testing, Labeling & Product Transparency

Recognizes laboratories, products, technologies, and transparency programs that make cannabis test results, ingredients, potency, warnings, batch information, recalls, and instructions easier to understand and verify. The 2026 Full Disclosure Award nominees are SafeTiva Labs, ClearSight Labs, MCR Labs, and Kanha Technology Solutions.

“Being nominated for a Cannabis Safety Award is incredibly meaningful to all of us at SafeTiva. We started this lab because we believe cannabis testing should be grounded in science, integrity, and a genuine commitment to protecting consumers. Every result we produce has the potential to affect someone’s health and safety, and we take that responsibility seriously. I’m especially proud of the team we’ve built and the way they show up every day to do this work carefully, honestly, and well. It’s an honor to have that commitment recognized.” - Megan Dobro, PhD, CEO & Co-Founder, SafeTiva Labs

“ClearSight Labs is honored to be nominated and recognized for our role in advancing cannabis safety in Washington, D.C. We strive to set the standard for cannabis testing and work hard to deliver the insights patients need to make educated decisions.” - ClearSight Labs

“MCR is honored to be recognized for our work advancing transparency in cannabis testing. Open data helps regulators and researchers identify problems, learn from what works, and build safer, more effective cannabis programs.” - Yasha Kahn, MCR Labs