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1. Name: Margaret Haney, PhD
2. Title: Associate Professor of Clinical Neuroscience at Columbia University
3. Medical Marijuana
Position:
Pro to the question "Should marijuana be a medical option?"
4. Reasoning:

"As compared with placebo, marijuana and dronabinol dose dependently increased daily caloric intake and body weight in HIV-positive marijuana smokers. All cannabinoid conditions produced significant intoxication, except for low-dose dronabinol (5 mg); the intoxication was rated positively (eg, 'good drug effect') with little evidence of discomfort and no impairment of cognitive performance. Effects of marijuana and dronabinol were comparable, except that only marijuana (3.9% THC) improved ratings of sleep.

Conclusions: These data suggest that for HIV-positive marijuana smokers, both dronabinol (at doses 8 times current recommendations) and marijuana were well tolerated and produced substantial and comparable increases in food intake."
Aug. 15, 2007, "Dronabinol and Marijuana in HIV-Positive Marijuana Smokers: Caloric Intake, Mood, and Sleep," Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes

5. Credibility
Ranking:
Experts
PhD's and JD's (lawyers) with significant post-doctoral involvement in medical marijuana issues; judges who have presided over medical marijuana cases.

6. Involvement:
  • Associate Professor, Clinical Neuroscience, Columbia University
  • Co-Director, Substance Use Research Center, Columbia University
  • Research Scientist, New York State Psychiatric Institute
7. Education:
  • Post-doctoral fellowship, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médical (INSERM), Bordeaux, France, 1992-1994
  • PhD, Tufts University, 1992
  • MA, Tufts University, 1988
  • BS, Rutgers College, 1985
8. Relevant Affiliations/Honors: None found
9. Contact Info:
Phone:212-543-6539 Fax: 212-543-5991
E-Mail: mh235@columbia.edu
Web Site: University Profile

10. Other: Select Publications:
  • "Dronabinol and Marijuana in HIV-Positive Marijuana Smokers: Caloric Intake, Mood, and Sleep," Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, Aug. 15, 2007
  • "Opioid Antagonism of Cannabinoid Effects: Differences Between Marijuana Smokers and Non-Marijuana Smokers," Neuropsychopharmacology, 2007
  • "The Marijuana Withdrawal Syndrome: Diagnosis and Treatment," Current Psychiatry, 2005
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