Professor of Medicine, Biopharmaceutical Sciences, Psychiatry and Clinical Pharmacy at the University of California at San Francisco
Position:
Not Clearly Pro or Con
to the question "Should marijuana be a medical option?"
Reasoning:
"[T]here was virtually no exposure to harmful combustion products using the vaporizing device. Since it replicates smoking’s efficiency at producing the desired THC effect using smaller amounts of the active ingredient as opposed to pill forms, this device has great potential for improving the therapeutic utility of THC...
By a significant majority, patients preferred vaporization to smoking, choosing the route of delivery with the fewest side effects and greatest efficiency"
"Smokeless Cannabis Delivery Device Found Efficient and Less Toxic," www.universityofcalifornia.edu, May 15, 2007
Key Experts
Physicians [Physicians are the "key experts" in the medical marijuana debate because the issue is thought by many to be ultimately based on the medical value and risks of marijuana, and Physicians, with their training and clinical work, should (at least in theory) have the best knowledge of marijuana's medical value and risks.] [Note: Key Experts definition varies by sites that have this designation.]
Involvement and Affiliations:
Professor of Medicine, Biopharmaceutical Sciences, Psychiatry and Clinical Pharmacy, University of California at San Francisco, 2004-present
Vice Chair, Department of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, University of California at San Francisco, 1994-present
Professor, Departments of Medicine, Psychiatry and Pharmacy, University of California at San Francisco, 1987-present
Chief, Division Clinical Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of California at San Francisco, 1983-present
Associate Medical Director, San Francisco Bay Area Regional Poison Center, 1979-present
Member of Staff, Medical Service, San Francisco General Hospital, 1974-present
Associate Professor, Departments of Medicine and Psychiatry, University of California at San Francisco, 1981-1987
Assistant Professor, Departments of Medicine and Psychiatry, University of California at San Francisco, 1974-1981
Director, Drug Detoxification Unit, San Francisco General Hospital, 1975-1976
Clinical Instructor, Department of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, 1973-1974
Education:
Intern and Resident, Internal Medicine, Bronx Municipal Hospital Center, 1969-1971
MD, University of Rochester School of Medicine, 1969
Attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 1962-1965
Cowritten with P. Jacob, III, "Trans-31-hydroxycotinine: Disposition Kinetics, Effects, and Plasma Levels During Cigarette Smoking," British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 2001
Cowritten with C.A. Haller, "Adverse Cardiovascular and Central Nervous System Events Associated with Dietary Supplements Containing Ephedra Alkaloids," New England Journal of Medicine, 2000
Cowritten with P. Jacob, III, W. Yu, and L. Yu, "Simultaneous Determination of Mecamylamine, Nicotine, and Cotinine in Plasma By Gas Chromatography-mass Spectrometry," Journal Of Pharmaceutical And Biomedical Analysis, 2000
Cowritten with K. Fattinger, R.T. Jones and D. Verotta, "Nasal Mucosal Versus Gastrointestinal Absorption of Nasally Administered Cocaine," Eur. J. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 2000
Cowritten with S. Zevin, P. Jacob III, and P. Geppetti, "Clinical Pharmacology of Oral Cotinine, Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 2000
Cowritten with S. Zevin, and P. Jacob, III, "Nicotine-mecamylamine Interactions," Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 2000
Cowritten with D. Dempsey, and P. Jacob, III, "Nicotine Metabolism and Elimination Kinetics in Newborns," Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 2000
Cowritten with P. Jacob, III, "Effects of Cigarette Smoking and Carbon Monoxide on Nicotine and Cotinine Metabolism." Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 2000
Other:
Recipient, Ove Ferno Award, 1996
Recipient, Alton Ochsner Award, given by the American College of Chest Physicians, 1996
