A summit in Philadelphia this Friday will spotlight medical marijuana research and policy, bringing together leading voices from health care, academia, and the cannabis industry.
Ethos Cannabis and Thomas Jefferson University are teaming up to host the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Education & Research Summit on September 5, 2025, at Jefferson’s Alumni Hall Atrium. The event, scheduled from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., comes as the state nears half a million registered medical marijuana patients and renewed debate over adult-use legalization.
The summit will bring together policy experts, physicians, researchers, regulators, and industry representatives to examine how marijuana can be integrated into health care and public health strategies. Panels and educational sessions will focus on subjects like cannabis as a tool for opioid harm reduction and the role of THC potency limits in shaping policy.
Deputy Meghna Patel, Deputy Secretary of Policy and Planning in Governor Josh Shapiro’s administration, will deliver the keynote address. Additional speakers include representatives from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Drexel University, the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission, and Ethos Cannabis.
Among the panels is “Keystone Shift – The Opioid Epidemic and the Role of Cannabis in Harm Reduction,” featuring former Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission Chair Steve Hoffman and Drexel’s Dr. Stephen Lankenau. Another, “Potency, Policy, and Public Health – Rethinking THC Limits,” will highlight research and regulatory perspectives from Thomas Jefferson University, Ethos Cannabis, and ACT Labs.
“The future of cannabis is grounded in education, science, and service,” said Gibran Washington, CEO of Ethos Cannabis. “This summit reflects our mission to advance patient care and policy by bringing the right people to the table.”
Dr. Brooke Worster, Chief Medical Officer at Ethos and Medical Director at Thomas Jefferson University, said the event is about fostering evidence-based discussions. “Our goal is to foster real-world understanding of how cannabis can complement traditional care, especially as we face overlapping public health crises like opioid misuse and chronic pain.”
The event is open to registered attendees in person and will also offer virtual streaming of its sessions.
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