Our Vision and Mission

We envision a society where public policy related to cannabis and other substances protects health and advances equity in all its forms.

We use scientific research to identify and advocate for cannabis policy that advances public health and equity, prioritizing groups vulnerable to harms, such as youth. We engage and support partners in our work to ensure that government and industry actions align with these priorities.

Strategies We Use:

  • Scientific Research
  • Policy Design
  • Technical assistance to government and community partners
  • Key audience education
  • Community stakeholder engagement
  • Advocacy
  • Accountability

What We Do

In most states, cannabis legalization has focused mainly on creating a legal profit-making system rather than putting guardrails in place to promote public health, protect youth, and advance social equity.

We provide technical assstance to jurisdictions that are currently regulating cannabis, considering legalizing or decriminalizing cannabis, and to community partners. We develop and share models for safer and more effective cannabis policy, and provide guidance on policies that can reduce harm and prevent problem cannabis use.

We take an evidence-based approach by carrying out and drawing on scientific research, cannabis policy analyses, and lessons from tobacco and alcohol control.

Please contact Aurash Soroosh for more information.

KALW’s State of the Bay: The Real Risks of Today’s Cannabis Industry

KALW, August 4, 2025

Dr. Lynn Silver was featured on KALW’s State of the Bay in an in-depth segment on the public health risks of today’s cannabis industry. She discusses the rise of high-potency products, Big Tobacco-style marketing tactics, and the false framing of cannabis as a wellness product. Dr. Silver also highlights the industry’s push for harmful tax cuts that would gut youth services and prevention programs.

Listen

Urgent: Don’t Let California Gut Cannabis Tax Funding for Kids and the Environment

Getting it Right from the Start Action Alert

Lawmakers are fast-tracking bills that would slash $1.35 billion from vital programs — including childcare, youth substance use prevention, and environmental cleanup — breaking the promises of Prop 64. It’s time to put kids over cannabis industry profits.

Take Action

What if the only thing California Democrats can make more affordable is weed?

Tom Philp, Sacramento Bee, July 9, 2025

Sacramento Bee’s Tom Philp takes a hard look at the cannabis industry’s aggressive push for tax cuts — and the devastating cost to children, youth programs, and the environment. Featuring Dr. Lynn Silver of Getting it Right from the Start, it calls out the $1.3 billion giveaway to Big Cannabis and urges California lawmakers to honor the promises of Prop 64.

Read Editorial

Marijuana use dramatically increases risk of dying from heart attacks and stroke, large study finds

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN, June 17, 2025

CNN provides in depth coverage of new study in the peer reviewed journal Heart, and the accompanying editorial by Dr. Lynn Silver of Getting it Right from the Start and Dr. Stanton Glantz. Our Director, Dr. Silver, notes it’s time for clinicians to screen for cannabis use like they do for tobacco — and for regulators to focus on real health risks, not just building a legal market.

Read Article

Have questions?

We can help!

 

Getting it Right from the Start
Public Health Institute
2000 Center Street, Ste 308
Berkeley, CA 94704
P: (510) 344-7221

gettingitright@phi.org

 

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Join our Listserv and be part of a dedicated community of public health advocates, regulatory officials, parents, concerned citizens, research scientists, medical professionals, and policymakers.

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Sign up for our action alerts and join the movement to create a safer legal cannabis marketplace without driving up harmful consumption.

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We want to hear from you! Please contact Aurash Soroosh for more information or with any questions you have.

Contact Us

Getting it Right from the Start Follow

Research, capacity building and advocacy to protect public health, youth and equity in cannabis policy. Also find us at @getitrightonmj.bsky.social

GetItRightonMJ
getitrightonmj Getting it Right from the Start @getitrightonmj ·
19 Jun

1/@GuardianUS’s @andrewgregory covers our @Heart_BMJ editorial on the new meta-analysis of 24 studies — involving ...~200 million people — finding #cannabis use linked to 2x higher risk of death from #HeartDisease & 20% higher risk of stroke.

Read article:

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getitrightonmj Getting it Right from the Start @getitrightonmj ·
18 Jun

1/@KQED’s @adembosky covers editorial in @Heart_BMJ (By Dr. Silver & @ProfGlantz) re: new meta-analysis that ...found #cannabis users face:

• 29% higher risk of #HeartAttack
• 20% higher risk of #Stroke
• Double the risk of #CardiovascularDeath

Read:

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getitrightonmj Getting it Right from the Start @getitrightonmj ·
18 Jun

1/Major new @CNN story about our editorial (& accompanying study) in @Heart_BMJ: Using #cannabis doubles risk of ...dying from #HeartDisease, with significantly increased risk for #HeartAttacks (+29%) & stroke (+20%).

Read more:

#Cannabis #HeartHealth

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