Researchers at Cal State San Marcos are seeking cannabis users for a study assessing the heart rate and blood pressure responses to smoking legal-market cannabis in free-living humans. You will wear an activity monitor and blood pressure monitor for 24 hours while you smoke cannabis. You will not be provided cannabis for this study. You’ll report to our lab twice to be outfitted for the study and to drop the devices off when the study is over; the total time commitment in the lab will be about one hour. If you are 21-45 years old and have used cannabis at least twice a week for the last year, you are eligible to participate. If you have high blood pressure, use tobacco or take certain medications that impact blood pressure, you are not eligible to participate in this study. If you are unsure, please contact the study team. For more information, please contact Dr. Matt Schubert, associate professor of kinesiology, at mschubert@csusm.edu.

Active men and women are needed to participate in a study in the Department of Kinesiology, with the goal to assess potential sex differences in fat burning between men and women. You are eligible if you are 18 to 50 years old, active, weight stable and healthy. Women must have a normal menstrual cycle or be taking oral contraceptives. Please contact Dr. Todd A. Astorino at astorino@csusm.edu for more information.

Beginning March 13, the Lot O pedestrian ramp and stairs at Campus Way and Campus View Drive will be closed for construction for the duration of the housing project. An accessible path from Barham Drive to the University Village Apartments will be provided. Walking around the barricades and using the street is prohibited. Disregarding these directives may result in disciplinary action. Please cross to the other side of the street and use the open walkway to prevent accidents or injury. We appreciate your compliance and consideration for the safety of our community.

Looking for adults 18 to 25 who have used flower cannabis and nicotine vapes or cigarettes in the past 30 days to participate in three confidential research visits at CSUSM. Answer questions about demand for, use and effects of cannabis and nicotine. Compensation is up to $225 in cash or gift card. To learn more and see if you qualify, take this quick survey: https://csusm.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_enCJdxvVBvVjPng.

CSUSM students, do you want to help the environment and promote campus wellness? The Tobacco, E-Cigarette and Cannabis Waste Randomized Trial is now scheduling participants. Students between the ages of 18 and 25 may be eligible to take part in a six-week intervention addressing tobacco and e-cigarette waste perceptions and behaviors. Participants will receive $25 each for three Zoom visits and $35 for a six-month follow-up, for up to $110 in compensation. Visits last 15-45 minutes and include watching brief educational videos, talking with a research assistant and completing surveys. Please visit https://redcap.link/TECWRCT-CSUSM to learn more and complete a brief survey to join the study. Email tecwrct@gmail.com for more information.

Welcome back, Cougars. We hope that the spring semester is off to a wonderful start. We wanted to provide updated information regarding the campus’s COVID-19 protocols and a few reminders to help you keep safe and healthy. COVID-19 Campus Protocols The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) updated its COVID-19 isolation guidance. New guidance for those testing positive: Stay home if you have COVID-19 symptoms, until you have not had a fever for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication AND other COVID-19 symptoms are mild and improving.​ ​​​​​​​​​If you do not have symptoms, you should follow the recommendations below to reduce exposure to others. Mask when you are around other people indoors for the 10 days after you become sick or test positive (if no symptoms). You may remove your mask sooner than 10 days if you have two sequential negative tests at least one day apart. Day 0 is the symptom onset date or positive test date. Avoid contact with people at higher risk for severe COVID-19 for 10 days. These CDPH changes impact Cal/OSHA’s COVID-19 Prevention Non-Emergency Standards. CSUSM strongly encourages those who test positive for COVID-19 to submit a COVID-19 self-reporting form.  Close contacts (exposed individuals) should follow the suggested protocols. The university provides notifications of close contacts and possible exposures to keep our campus community informed and to comply with applicable state regulations. Learn how CSUSM is keeping our campus community safe. Keep up to date with our CSUSM on-campus worksite exposure dashboard. General Health and Safety Reminders COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are not required. However, the campus strongly advises following the recommendations adopted by the CDPH and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Masking is not required on campus, except as required by the isolation and return protocol. Rapid antigen (at-home) tests are free and available to U.S households from COVID.gov. CSUSM has new wellness vending machines with tests available for purchase. Additional COVID-19 information is available at the CSUSM COVID-19 Resources & Guidelines website. Please continue to reduce your risk of illness and review general safety protocols to help you and others stay safe and healthy. Have a successful and safe semester, Cougars!