Mathew R. Swinburne, J.D., is the Senior Advisor for the Network for Public Health Law’s Eastern Team, which is housed at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. He is a recognized national expert in cannabis law and policy.  His cannabis work includes advising legislators, state and local agencies, law enforcement, community-based organizations, and non-profits on critical issues related to medical and adult-use policy. Appointed by Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Mathew is a member of Maryland’s Cannabis Public Health Advisory Council. In addition to his work at the Network, Mathew developed and taught the State and Federal Cannabis Law and Policy course for the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy’s MS in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics program.  The course is one of the first of its kind in the country.  He is also an attorney advisor for the University of Maryland’s Public Health Law Clinic and has taught public health law and ethics for the University of Maryland’s School of Public Health.

Articles & Resources

Cannabis Legalization: Critical Policy Issues Impacting the Health of Children

WebinarsCannabis Legalization and RegulationSubstance Use Prevention and Harm ReductionHealth in School

March 15, 2024
by Mathew Swinburne

Thirty-eight states and the District of Columbia have now legalized cannabis for medical and/or adult-use. This wave of policy change has important health implications for children, especially those with medical conditions whose treatment includes the use of cannabis products. Additionally, new research is raising concerns about the effects of exposure to cannabis advertising on children and youth. Attend this webinar for an examination of these two youth focused policy issues that states must address as part of cannabis legalization.

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State Policies to Protect Access to Medical Cannabis Following Adult-Use Legalization

Fact SheetCannabis Legalization and Regulation

February 1, 2024
by Mathew Swinburne

The influx of new customers created by the legalization of adult-use cannabis can place a strain on a state’s cannabis supply. This increased demand can present a challenge to the state’s medical cannabis system and potentially reduce patient access to medical cannabis. This fact sheet examines various state policies aimed at protecting patient access to medical cannabis.

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The Department of Health and Human Services Recommends Rescheduling Cannabis

Law & Policy InsightsCannabis Legalization and Regulation

September 19, 2023
by Mathew Swinburne

Cannabis is legal in most states and most of those living in the U.S. support some form of cannabis legalization. Despite the evolution in state policy and broad public support, cannabis remains illegal under federal law. Things could be changing. In October of 2022, President Biden ordered the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Attorney General to initiate the administrative process to review cannabis’s classification under federal law.

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Critical Public Health Issues in Cannabis Legalization

WebinarsCannabis Legalization and RegulationSubstance Use Prevention and Harm Reduction

May 31, 2023
by Mathew Swinburne

The changing environment in cannabis law presents critical public health issues that need to be addressed to help maximize benefits and minimize risks associated with legalization. This webinar will explore recent developments in cannabis law and policy with a focus on recent state legalization efforts, protecting medical cannabis patients, youth access and exposure to cannabis products, product safety, and hemp derived products.

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Cannabis Regulation Resource Collection

Fact SheetCannabis Legalization and RegulationLegislation and Legal Challenges

November 30, 2022
by Mathew Swinburne

Marijuana, which is still considered an illicit drug at the federal level, is legal in 11 states for adults over the age of 21 for recreational use, and legal for medical use in 33 states. As more states contemplate marijuana legalization, understanding the broad spectrum of public health and policy issues related to cannabis regulation is critical. This collection of resources surveys states’ laws regarding home cultivation and consumption site regulation; zoning restrictions; potency and product regulation; labeling and packaging regulation; youth access regulations and enforcement; and adult-use advertising restrictions.

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The Network’s Fall Summit: Helping the Public Health Community Navigate the Rapidly Changing Field of Cannabis Law

Law & Policy InsightsCannabis Legalization and RegulationMechanisms for Advancing Health Equity

June 28, 2022
by Mathew Swinburne

Cannabis law and policy is evolving at a blistering pace driven largely by state legalization of medical and adult-use cannabis. While cannabis remains illegal under federal law, there are stirrings of change. In this churn of changing state laws public health is faced with myriad complex issues. How do we address social justice in the shadow of the war on drugs?  What policies are effective in preventing youth access? How can the tax revenue generated by cannabis legalization be used to reinvest in communities disproportionately harmed by the war on drugs? What role can local government play in this dynamic environment?  To help public health stakeholders better navigate critical issues like these, the Network is hosting a Summit on September 13th and 14th in Baltimore City, Maryland to explore pressing issues in cannabis law and policy.

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WIC: Lessons Learned from COVID-19

Issue BriefMaternal and Child HealthFood Safety and SecurityCOVID-19 and Health EquityMechanisms for Advancing Health Equity

May 19, 2022
by Mathew Swinburne

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (commonly known as the WIC program) is the third largest food and nutrition assistance program in the U.S. In 2020 alone, WIC served approximately 6.2 million participants a month, including almost half of all infants born in the country. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the program to expand benefits and alter its administration in ways that have greatly improved participants' lives. This issue brief evaluates the COVID-19 changes to the WIC program and assesses the current issues with the Program highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It also provides policy recommendations to ensure greater participation and adequate benefits for participants.

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The FTC Could Help Curb the Youth Obesity Epidemic by Cracking Down on the Deceptive Advertising of Unhealthy Foods During Children’s Programming Hours

Issue BriefFood Safety and SecurityMechanisms for Advancing Health Equity

May 18, 2022
by Kathleen Hoke and Mathew Swinburne

This issue brief examines evidence of racial disparities with respect to COVID-19 infections and deaths, possible causes, and legal protections against race discrimination. It also provides an overview of CSC planning, including key ethical features that may be utilized to ensure that CSC planning incorporates concerns about racial inequity.

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Biden Administration Executive Order Results in Long-Needed Update to SNAP Nutrition Benefits

Law & Policy InsightsFood SecurityMechanisms for Advancing Health Equity

April 20, 2022
by Mathew Swinburne

More than 13.8 million U.S. households lack the necessary food and nutrition to live an active and healthy life. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides financial benefits to qualified individuals that can be used to purchase food. These benefits are based on the USDA’s Thrifty Food Plan (TFP), which was last revised in 2006. A January 2021 Biden Administration Executive Order urging the USDA to promptly update the TFP to reflect the current cost of food resulted in a 21 percent increase in SNAP benefits.

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Social Justice Policies in New York’s Cannabis Legalization

Law & Policy InsightsCannabis Legalization and RegulationMechanisms for Advancing Health Equity

October 20, 2021
by Mathew Swinburne

Earlier this year, New York legalized adult-use (recreational) cannabis with the Marijuana Regulation & Taxation Act.  While it’s now legal for adults to possess cannabis, there are no retail establishments permitted to sell adult-use cannabis. The State is in the process of developing regulations for this new industry and the adult-use market is expected to be operational in late 2022. While New York is focused on creating a safe and efficient industry, it is also incorporating social justice measures, including restorative justice and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies into its new cannabis system.

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