Mar-Anon is an important support group for people who have loved ones addicted to marijuana. Mar-Anon is based on the same concept of Al-Anon for alcohol. While AA and MA are for people with a substance use disorder, Al-Anon and Mar-Anon is for families.

Bart was a summer camp counselor, camp director and teacher, earning his Teaching credential from Chapman University. After retiring from teaching he started volunteering with Mar-Anon, Every Brain Matters and other educational non-profits. Bart used to think marijuana was harmless. “When I was smoking weed in my 20’s I used to say stuff like, “it’s just pot, it’s not a big deal.” Marijuana was a very big deal for his son, Kevin. Bart witnessed his son experience many episodes of Cannabis Induced Psychosis. Kevin died by suicide in 2018 at 29 years old. The last articulate words Bart heard him speak were, “Cannabis has ruined my life.”

Resources:

Mar-Anon - for supportive meetings

Every Brain Matters - for facilitated meeting

There are different opinions on smart drug policies. Some want to decriminalize all drugs, some promote all drug legalization, and there is drug commercialization. What is the balanced approach from international experts? Luke Niforatos with Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions discusses what an expert panel recommends.

Luke Niforatos serves as the Executive Vice President of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) and the Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions (FDPS) and is widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading drug policy experts. Leveraging more than a decade working on drug, addiction and health care issues, Luke drives the strategy behind FDPS & SAM’s federal, state, and educational initiatives. Luke has testified in state capitols across America. He is a sought-after guest on major media outlets including ABC, Fox News, NBC, CNBC, CSPAN, Newsmax, and network affiliates, as well as syndicated and local radio shows in markets coast to coast. Luke has been featured in Time Magazine and as a speaker at drug policy events held by The Economist, the United Nations’ Commission on Narcotic Drugs, and hundreds of town halls. Prior to joining SAM, he was the co-founder of a successful healthcare company. Luke attended the University of Denver and has a Master of Arts from Johns Hopkins University.

@learnaboutsam

@gooddrugpolicy

@lukeniforatos

Learnaboutsam.org

Gooddrugpolicy.org

Marijuana is addictive, especially with the high potency products. And with addiction come withdrawal. Withdrawal of THC is not like withdrawal from fentanyl or alcohol. It is more like withdrawal from nicotine - insomnia, anxiety, headaches. The symptoms last about 2 weeks and there are no medications to help. However, going up the FDA rapid approval pathway is a new medication. We talk about this treatment in this podcast.

Ginger Constantine, M.D. is the Chairperson, Co-Founder & CEO of PleoPharma.

Ginger Constantine, MD – Chairperson and CEO - with over 25 years of pharmaceutical regulatory and clinical development experience with the approval of more than 15 products filing numerous INDs, NDAs, and MAAs. Previous Vice President of Women's Health & Bone Repair Clinical Research at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals through its acquisition by Pfizer in 2010. Expertise in Phase 1 through 4 clinical development strategy and execution.

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Founded EndoRheum Consultants in 2010, a successful clinical development consulting firm. Member of multiple scientific advisory boards. Has planned, authored and presented numerous scientific studies.

PheoPharma was granted fast-track designation for PP-01, a new investigational drug for cannabis withdrawal syndrome.