On Oct 6, 2022, President Biden announced pardons for simple federal marijuana possession convictions, a request for state governors to do the same, and a directive to the US Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Attorney General to review how cannabis is scheduled under federal law.
The President’s announcement was unexpected and a welcome change from his previous reluctance to support cannabis legalization. But so much more needs to be done. In this joint DFCR/Parabola Center webinar, our speakers will re-visit the harms of cannabis prohibition and offer new directions for changing our cannabis laws in both public health and commerce.
Farrah Blake – As a younger woman, Ms. Blake’s college and career path came to a halt following an arrest and conviction for cannabis possession. She has since had a successful career as a model and more recently is the social media/community manager for Brwnbox, a CBD apothecary. Ms. Blake recently received a JustLeadershipUSA “Leading withConviction” fellowship. She will discuss the intersection of the trauma from her cannabis conviction, her medical cannabis use, and motherhood.
Shaleen Title, JD is an Indian-American attorney and longtime drug policy activist who has been writing, passing, and implementing equitable cannabis laws for over 20 years. She is the founder and director of the nonprofit drug policy think tank Parabola Center, which creates model policies to protect people rather than corporate profits, and is widely recognized for her focus on racial justice and her efforts to make the cannabis industry more fair and inclusive. Ms. Title will discuss the key considerations to develop a national cannabis market that avoids the pitfalls of excessive corporate consolidation and profit at the expense of public health
Kevin Boehnke, PhD is a Research Assistant Professor in theDepartment of Anesthesiology and the Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center at the University of Michigan. His research focuses on therapeutic applications of illicit or semi-licit substances (cannabis, psychedelics) for chronic pain while rigorously assessing the appropriate use of these substances and helping address the public health harms caused by their criminalization. Dr. Boehnke will present the benefits of descheduling for research, patient care, and public health.
Micah Sherman is the small-business owner of a cannabis cultivator in Olympia, Washington. He works in the cannabis industry and with policymakers to revise and improve the rules and laws that shape outcomes in the industry with the goal of building an equitable small business ecosystem. Mr. Sherman will share his ideas on how CBD/THC ratios, product types, and categorization can be combined with regulatory and tax policy to mitigate damage from potentially harmful products while uplifting approaches with health benefits.
This live webinar was offered free to all and recorded on January 25, 2023
This event was hosted by Doctors for Cannabis Regulation in cooperation with the Parabola Center as part of our ongoing commitment to education and advocacy efforts to advance the legalization and science-based regulation of cannabis. Please consider making a contribution to support our efforts.
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