South Coast Senior College

Cannabis in Maine: Public Health Policy & Impacts: - Comparing Maine's Adult Use and Medical Cannabis Programs

Currently, there are two regulatory frameworks for Maine's cannabis programs: Adult Use and Medical. While there are some similarities between the two programs, there are also differences, including product testing, tracking/tracing, potency, and age restrictions.

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Describe the regulatory similarities and differences between the Adult Use and Medical Cannabis programs in Maine.
• Describe what impacts these policy frameworks have on the two industries, including use patterns, retail density, potency and safety.
• Describe the impacts these policy frameworks have on public health. 
• About the Presenter:Rebecca Boulos, MPH, PhD, is Executive Director of Maine Public Health Association. Her career in public health spans 20+ years, having worked for research institutions and non-profit organizations. At MPHA, she has also taken a significant role in state health policy development, including cannabis-related policies, and uses her research expertise to advocate for evidence-based public health policies at the municipal, state and federal levels. She received her PhD in Food Policy and Applied Nutrition from Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, where she earned a USDA Doctoral Fellowship in Obesity. She received her Master of Public Health degree with a concentration in Social and Behavioral Sciences from the Yale School of Public Health and her BA in Communications from The George Washington University. Becca is the Chair Designate of the American Public Health Association's Action Board and in 2023, she was recognized with the American Public Health Association's Council of Affiliates Outstanding Affiliate Staff of the Year Award.