Episode #182 High Truths on Drugs and Addiction on Rescheduling of Marijuana with IASIC

Is it just pot and an inconsequential debate on changing the schedule of marijuana or is it much more?

Are we talking about individual rights, marijuana as medicine, public health implications, the integrity of the FDA medication approval process , or the reliability of the USA in keeping international treaties.

INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY ON THE SCIENCE AND IMPACT OF CANNABIS

DOCTORS EDUCATING ON MARIJUANA

IASIC is an organization of international experts on cannabis who are guided by medicine and science to provide accurate and honest information that guides decision-making. We recognize that the use of cannabis is potentially harmful, and that policies or practices which enhance or increase the use of cannabis risk serious medical and social consequences.

Check out the IASIC Library.

Eric A. Voth, M.D., FACP

Dr. Voth is a specialist in Internal Medicine, Pain Management, and Addiction Medicine. He serves as the President and Chairman of the Board of the International Academy on the Science and Impact of Cannabis (IASIC). Dr. Voth is a pioneer in the appropriate prescribing of controlled medications and is recognized as an international authority on drug use, drug policy-related issues, pain management, and appropriate prescribing practices.

He also serves as an advisor on alcohol and drug abuse issues to the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts, is a former member of the National Advisory Committee for the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment of HHS, and is a Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Kansas School of Medicine.

 Dr. Voth has advised Reagan, Clinton, both Bush, and Obama administrations, and has advised or testified for numerous Congressional offices on drug related issues. He has appeared on or consulted to, numerous other radio media, and has been quoted by numerous international print media.

Elizabeth ‘Libby’ Stuyt, MD

Dr. Stuyt is a board-certified Addiction Psychiatrist and has worked in the addiction/behavioral health field since 1990. She was the Medical Director for the Circle Program, a 90-day inpatient treatment program, funded by the state of Colorado, for persons with co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse who have failed other levels of treatment from 1999 to 2020. She retired from this position in May 2020 in order to spend more time attempting to educate as many people as possible on the un-intended consequences she has seen from the commercialization of marijuana in Colorado, focusing primarily on the deleterious effects of high potency THC on the developing brain and mental health.

About Bertha Madras, PhD

 Current position. Professor of Psychobiology, Harvard Medical School (34 years) with office based at McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA; cross-appointment at the Massachusetts General Hospital. Educated at McGill University, Montreal with post-doctoral fellowships, MIT, Cambridge, MA.

Translational Research. Addictive and therapeutic drugs: behavioral, molecular responses. Drug discovery: Novel brain probes, candidate therapeutics for neuropsychiatric disorders. Drug Policy

Authorship.  Author of over 200 scientific manuscripts, articles, book chapters, co-editor of books “The Cell Biology of Addiction”, “Effects of Drug Abuse on the Human Nervous System”, “Imaging of the Human Brain in Health and Disease”

Inventions.  19 U.S. and 27 international issued patents, with collaborators

Government service and public policy. Numerous NIH committees and other advisory boards

• White House, 2006-2008: Deputy Director for Demand Reduction in the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), Executive Office of the President, a presidential appointment confirmed unanimously (99-0) by U.S. Senate
• White House, 2017: Appointed by the President, as one of six members of the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis (Governors C. Christie, C. Baker, R. Cooper, Cong. P. Kennedy, AG P. Bondi). At request of Commission Chair Gov. Christie, she shepherded and wrote major portions of the final Commission report
• World Health Organization: Sole author of a commissioned report, “Update of Cannabis and its Medical Use”; co-author of “The Health and Social Effects of Nonmedical Cannabis Use”
• S. Department of Justice: Sole expert witness for the U.S. Dept. of Justice in a landmark CA Federal Court decision on marijuana re-, or de-scheduling, which sustained DoJ position
• Vatican Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Narcotics Panel: Co-author and edited final statement
• National Academy of Medicine: Current member, National Academy of Medicine Collaborative on the Opioid Crisis

Educator, Public Service

• Course: Developed the first course (ABS elective) on addictions at Harvard Medical School
• Course: Developed first NIDA-sponsored international course on “Cell Biology of Addiction” at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
• Museum exhibition: Project Director, PI of NIDA-sponsored grant for exhibit, CD, play at Museum of Science, Boston “Changing your Mind: Drugs in the Brain”. Disney Corp. licensed the CD.
• Presentations: More than 750 public and professional presentations nationally, globally

Recognition

• Research Awards: NIH MERIT award, CPDD Innovator Award, Fishman Award, McLean Mendelson award, The Better World Report cited her brain imaging invention as “one of 25 technology transfer innovations (university to industry) that changed the world”
• Public Service Awards: NIDA, CADCA, CPDD, Sweden, American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry Founders’ Award, others

Her experiences in research, brain biology, education, government and public service offer her a unique perspective on