Last updated on: 6/24/2010 | Author: ProCon.org

John McGrath, MBBS, MD, PhD Biography

Title:
Director of Developmental Neurobiology at the Queensland Center for Mental Health Research
Position:
Not Clearly Pro or Con to the question "Should Marijuana Be a Medical Option?"
Reasoning:

“Longer duration since first cannabis use was associated with multiple psychosis-related outcomes in young adults… the longer the duration since first cannabis use, the higher the risk of psychosis-related outcomes…

Compared with those who had never used cannabis, young adults who had 6 or more years since first use of cannabis (i.e., who commenced use when around 15 years or younger) were twice as likely to develop a nonaffective psychosis…

This study provides further support for the hypothesis that early cannabis use is a risk-modifying factor for psychosis-related outcomes in young adults.”

“Association Between Cannabis Use and Psychosis-Related Outcomes Using Sibling Pair Analysis in a Cohort of Young Adults,” Archives of General Psychiatry, May 2010
Involvement and Affiliations:
  • Director, Developmental Neurobiology and Epidemiology, Queensland Center for Mental Health Research (QCMHR), 2002-present
  • Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Queensland
  • Adjunct Professor, School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Sciences, Griffith University
  • Awarded the Senior Research Award from the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, 2005
  • Awarded a Bellagio Residency from the Rockefeller Foundation, 2005
  • Recipient, Queensland-Smithsonian Fellowship, 2003
  • Recipient, Centenary Medal (for “distinguished contribution to mental health research”), 2003
  • Recipient, Premier’s Award for Medical Research, 2002
  • Executive Director, QCMHR (formerly Queensland Centre for Schizophrenia Research), 1990-2002
Education:
  • MD, University of Queensland
  • MBBS, University of Queensland
  • PhD, University of Queensland
  • Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrist (FRANZCP)
Other:
  • Has published over 100 papers, books, and book chapters