ABOUT US
Better Data. Better Policy. Better Outcomes.
Cannabis Public Policy Consulting (CPPC) was established by public health professionals and former controlled substance regulators to shift the national discussion on cannabis policymaking. We began our work in 2019 to answer policymakers’ most pressing question: How do we effectively regulate cannabis in a way that protects public health, fosters public safety, and promotes equity?
Now, with data-informed consulting, CPPC is focused on answering society’s latest question: How do we improve cannabis markets, cannabis-related health outcomes, and equity outcomes? Frustrated by out-of-date, two-year-delayed data collection on cannabis use through federal surveillance and the lack of data and policy evaluation deployed by states, CPPC has expanded its services to include original research and data science in addition to providing insights grounded by public health and regulatory experience. Our mission is to embed advanced data science and public health expertise in cannabis policymaking to protect public health and safety, promote equity, and increase cannabis industry sustainability.
Experts Across the Cannabis Legalization Continuum
We offer a multidisciplinary approach to data-informed policymaking decisions. This includes insights from specialists in public policy, governance and law, technology and data analytics, social equity, economics, public health, and epidemiology.
While helping states prepare for potential federal legalization, we support development of innovative legalization policies at the state level that benefit society, reduce friction in cannabis business relationships, and aim to decrease the frequency and societal cost of cannabis-related litigation and harms.
Our Leadership
Mackenzie Slade, MPH
Director
Ms. Slade is an implementation specialist dedicated to bringing evidence-based best practices to the evolving field of cannabis. She has led the development and implementation of cannabis programs for over a dozen government agencies, incorporating data and metrics to evaluate program success for continuous improvement in an advancing field. Her core competencies include cannabis policy analysis, cannabis program design, strategy and implementation, stakeholder engagement and outreach, and implementation science.
Ms. Slade has successfully strategized the implementation and ongoing management of cannabis programs in partnership with government agencies such as Maine’s Office of Marijuana Policy, South Dakota’s Medical Cannabis Program, Rhode Island’s Office of Cannabis Regulation, the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, the City of Albuquerque, and more.
Ms. Slade assists Dr. Sofis in ongoing research projects such as demand projections, plant capitation studies and market evaluations to understand the effectiveness of cannabis regulations and ensure all policy is data informed. Ms. Slade is passionate about addressing cannabis’ data deficit, reducing unnecessary and burdensome program ligation, and using cannabis tax revenue to repair the harms caused by cannabis criminalization.
Michael Sofis, PhD
Director of Research
Dr. Sofis leads data analytics, research, and product innovation at CPPC, providing products and services for state agencies, digital technology companies, nonprofit organizations, and scientific collaborators. He has led the development of the Regulatory Determinants of Cannabis Outcomes Survey and the Cannabis Policy Simulation Lab.
Dr. Sofis leads public health–focused research projects designed to better understand and mitigate problematic cannabis use. He has led cannabis research studies commissioned by cannabis regulatory agencies in multiple U.S. states and is currently leading a pilot project testing the efficacy of a digital intervention for reducing problematic cannabis use.
Dr. Sofis received his PhD in behavioral psychology at the University of Kansas and completed a three-year post-doctoral fellowship at Dartmouth College funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. He has published 27 peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts, including 13 on the impacts of cannabis legalization and cannabis health outcomes. Dr. Sofis has received multiple federal grants amounting to over $1 million.