Last updated on: 12/30/2011 | Author: ProCon.org

Roger A. Roffman, DSW Biography

Title:
Professor Emeritus of Social Work at University of Washington
Position:
Pro to the question "Should Marijuana Be a Medical Option?"
Reasoning:

“I believe that we have two realities occurring with medical marijuana today. We have a lot of people like Corky Hapeman, genuinely, authentically benefiting from the use of marijuana as a medicine to help with a whole variety of medical conditions that are not ideally treated by the drugs that can be prescribed through pharmacies. But I think it’s also the case that an enormous amount of scamming is going on and that a good number of people are going to physicians, paying some money to get an authorization, and using these dispensaries simply as a way of avoiding getting arrested. And I guess I have to say, well why not? If the system is there and it permits it, I’m not sure I want to judge it.”

“A Sensible Approach to Marijuana Legislation, youtube.com, June 2, 2011
Theoretical Expertise Ranking:
    Experts
Individuals with MDs, PhDs, JDs, or equivalent advanced degrees in fields relevant to medical marijuana. Also top-level government officials (such as foreign leaders, US presidents, Founding Fathers, Supreme Court Justices, members of legislative bodies, cabinet members, military leaders, etc.) with positions relevant to medical marijuana issues.
Involvement and Affiliations:
  • Professor, Social Work, University of Washington, 1995-Oct. 1, 2009
  • Director, Innovative Programs Research Group (IPRG), University of Washington, 1987-2009
  • National Drug Strategy Fellow, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (Sydney, Australia), 1997
  • Visiting Scientist, Institute of Psychology, Czech Academy of Sciences, 1983
  • Acting Director, Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Institute, University of Washington, 1974-1975
  • Assistant Professor, Social Work, University of Washington, 1973-1979
  • Associate in Social Welfare, University of California at Berkeley, 1970-1971
  • Head Resident, Deutsch Hall, University of California at Berkeley, 1969-1970
  • Assistant Chief, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, 1968-1969
  • Consultant, University Nursing Home, 1968-1969
  • Lecturer, Sociology, University College at Andrews Air Force Base, 1968
  • Psychiatric Social Worker, 9th Infantry Division, US Army, Vietnam, 1967
  • Lecturer, Sociology, Ohio University, 1965
  • Social Worker, Federal Bureau of Prisons, US Department of Justice Federal Penitentiary, 1963
Education:
  • DSW (Doctorate in Social Work), University of California at Berkeley, 1983
  • MSW, University of Michigan, 1965
  • BA, Boston University, Psychology, 1963
Other:
  • His wife, Professor Emeritus Cheryl Richey, served on the University of Washington faculty for 29 years