Michigan Grapples with High Cannabis Use and Stunted Research

Researchers face federal restrictions that limit their ability to study the cannabis products widely available to consumers in the state.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 5:08am

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Michigan has seen a surge in cannabis use and sales, with per capita sales now ranking among the nation's highest. However, researchers like Omayma Alshaarawy of Michigan State University face severe federal restrictions that prevent them from studying the specific cannabis products that Michiganders are consuming. While a proposal to reclassify cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III represents progress, significant barriers to meaningful research remain, leaving families without the science they need to make informed decisions.

Why it matters

Michigan has a high burden of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, which disproportionately affect the state's diverse communities, including older adults and pregnant women. Understanding how the cannabis products readily available in the state affect the health of these populations is critical, but federal restrictions limit researchers' ability to conduct real-world, applicable studies.

The details

Alshaarawy and her team often visit licensed cannabis dispensaries in the Greater Lansing area to invite users to participate in their studies. However, they are limited to using low-potency, standardized cannabis samples provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which bear little resemblance to the high-potency vape cartridges, gourmet gummies, and premium marijuana flowers that consumers are actually purchasing. This mismatch between federal law and state-level cannabis policies severely hampers researchers' ability to provide clear, actionable information to Michiganders.

  • In 2018, Michigan legalized the recreational use of cannabis by popular referendum.
  • In late 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order supporting a proposal to reclassify cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III.

The players

Omayma Alshaarawy

A researcher at Michigan State University who has spent nearly two decades studying cannabis use and human health.

National Institute on Drug Abuse

The federal agency that provides the low-potency, standardized cannabis samples that researchers like Alshaarawy are limited to using, despite the wide availability of high-potency products in Michigan's legal market.

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What they’re saying

“For researchers like me, whose work is rooted in understanding how this widely available substance affects the health of Michiganders, the change opens some doors while leaving other critical barriers intact.”

— Omayma Alshaarawy, Researcher, Michigan State University

What’s next

The Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act of 2022 aimed to streamline the application process for cannabis researchers and expand the supply of research-grade cannabis, but it did not eliminate the fundamental Schedule I classification or the redundant federal reviews that continue to delay research. Further legislative action would be required to remove these barriers and allow researchers to study the cannabis products that Michiganders are actually consuming.

The takeaway

The disconnect between federal cannabis policy and the reality of widespread legal and social access to cannabis products in Michigan is hindering critical research that could inform public health decisions and provide families with the information they need to make informed choices. Addressing this mismatch is essential to ensuring that the state's residents have access to the science-based guidance they deserve.