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
Theoretical Expertise Ranking:
     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:
  • 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