The Third National Clinical Conference on Cannabis Therapeutics

"Cannabis Use Throught the Lifespan"

Charlottesville, VA - May, 2004

The third in the series of National Clinical Conferences on Cannabis Therapeutics was held in Charlottesville, VA, co-sponsored by the Virginia Nurses Association, the Pain Management Center and the Medical, Law and Nursing Schools of the University of Virginia, known in the U.S. for its conservative ways. The faculty included the world’s finest cannabis researchers, clinicians, patients and caregivers from the US, England, Israel, and Canada. At this venue cannabis use as medicine ranged from the therapeutic use by infants and children to use at end of life with Hospice patients.

2004 Conference Agenda and Faculty

Friday, May 21

8:00 - Opening Remarks: Al Byrne - Lcdr, USN, (ret.) Co-founder, Secretary-Treasurer, Patients Out of Time, Howardsville, VA. Planning Committee

8:10 - The Cannabinoid System in Neuroprotection: Raphael Mechoulam, PhD - Lionel Jacobson Professor of Medicinal Chemistry Endowed Chair, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel

9 ;00 - Holistic Biochemistry: 600 Million Years of Cannabinoids - Robert Melamede, PhD - Associate Professor and Biology Chairman, Biology Department, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs

9:30 - Overview of Cannabis and Pregnancy: Melanie Dreher, RN, PhD, FAAN - Kelting Dean and Professor, College of Nursing, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA. Director, Patients Out of Time.

10:10 - A Cannabis Kid: Christopher Largen - Co-author, “Prescription Pot”, Denton, TX

10:30 - Mothers Know Best: Mae Nutt - Mother of Cancer Patient, Midland, MI. Director, Patients Out of Time ; Ann McCormick - Mother of Childhood Cancer Survivor, Todd McCormick. Pawtucket, RI ; Debbie Jeffries, Mother and LaRayne Jeffries, Grandmother of ADHD Patient. Co-authors, “Jeffrey’s Journey”, Rocklin, CA ; Patricia R. Skidmore, RN, MSN, HNC - Mother of AIDS Patient. Practicing Nurse, New Market, MD

11:10 - Pediatrics and Cannabis: Ethan Russo, MD - Founding Editor, Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics. Senior Medical Advisor, GW Pharmaceuticals. Board of Advisors, Patients Out of Time

12:00 - Sublingual Dosage in the U.K.: Geoffrey Guy, MD - Founder and Executive Chairman, GW Pharmaceuticals, plc. Salisbury, Wiltshire, United Kingdom

1:30 - Chroninc cannabis Use - An Opportunistic Study: Thomas O’Connell, MD - Practicing Physician, San Mateo, CA

1:50 - Cannabis Efficacy in Treating ADD and ADHD: David Bearman, MD - Practicing Physician, Santa Barbara, CA

2:10 - Risk of Dependence - Billy R. Martin, PhD - Chair, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicity, Health Science Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond and Melanie Dreher, RN, PhD, FAAN - Kelting Dean and Professor, College of Nursing, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA. Director, Patients Out of Time

3:20 - A Nurses Perspective - Mary Lynn Mathre, RN, MSN, CARN - Co-founder, President, Patients Out of Time, Howardsville, VA. Planning Committee

3:50 - Interactions Between Opiates and Cannabinoids: Sandra P. Welch, PhD - Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond

4:20 - U.S. Federal Patients: Irvin Rosenfeld - Federal Cannabis Patient, Lauderhill, FL. National Spokesperson, Patients Out of Time ; and Elvy Musikka - Glaucoma

4:40 - Transdermal Cannabinoids: Audra Stinchcomb, PhD - Assistant Professor, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky

Saturday, May 22

8:00 - Therapeutic Cannabis in the Netherlands: Willem Scholten, PharmD, MPA - Head, Office of Medical Cannabis, Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports, The Netherlands

8:45 - British Columbia Patient Surveys: Philippe Lucas - Founder and Director Vancouver Island Compassion Society and Director, Canadians for Safe Access

9:20 - Cannabis Research in Canada: Mark Ware, MSc, MRCP - Practicing Physician, Assistant Professor of Anesthesia, McGill University, Canada. Board of Advisors, Patients Out of Time

10:20 - Multiple Sclerosis and Cannabis: Jim Miller - Spouse of Cannabis MS Patient. Silverton, NJ ; and Denis Petro, MD - Consulting Neurologist, Drug Researcher. Director, Patients Out of Time

10:50 - Cannabis and Pain: On-going Trials: Donald Abrams, MD - Professor of Clinical Medicine, University of California, San Francisco. Chief, Hematology-Oncology, San Francisco General Hospital.

11:20 - Psychological and Physical Health in Long-term Cannabis Users: Richard Musty, PhD - Professor of Psychology, University of Vermont, Burlington

11:50 - Movement Disorders and Cannabis: Juan Sanchez-Ramos, PhD, MD - Professor of Neurology, Helen Ellis Endowed Chair. Director of Movement Disorders, University of South Florida, Miami. Board of Advisors, Patients Out of Time

1:15 - Cannabis Use in a Hospice: Valerie Corral - Director, Wo/Men’s Alliance for Medical Marijuana, Santa Cruz, CA.

1:45 - DEA Rescheduling report: Jon Gettman, PhD - Senior Fellow, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA. Planning Committee

2:15 - A Humane Drug Control System: Arnold Trebach, PhD, JD - Professor Emeritus, American University. President, The Trebach Institute. Chair, Board of Advisors, International Antiprohibitionist League. Founder and Past President, The Drug Policy Foundation

3:00 - Medical Ethics and Cannabis Prohibition: Richard Bonnie, JD - John S. Battle Professor of Law, University of Virginia School of Law, Charlottesville. Planning Committee. Board of Advisors, Patients Out of Time

3:30 - Question and Answer: All Presenters - Mary Lynn Mathre, RN, PhD, FAAN - Moderator

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2004 Conference Synopses; DVDs and On-Line Videos