On January 17th, Tulsa Oklahoma was the host city to one of the nation's premier research conferences on cannabis medicine research. The Warren Foundation sponsored the event as a contribution to the state of Oklahoma and for the furtherance of medical discovery. The event had two key presenters who shared their latest data from studies so recent that the full reports have not yet been published. Their clear results already dispel some long held myths about the impact of the medicines on neurological process and lifestyle tendencies. Dr. Gerard Clancy, president of the University of Tulsa was both a host and speaker. His campus fine arts auditorium was the venue for the day-long conference. Laureate Institute for Brain Research is a Tulsa based research facility which takes a lead in bringing clinical studies to the people of Oklahoma, so we can be a part of testing new treatments for neurological and behavioral innovations. The conference was published to Youtube by LIBR, and their notes are as follows... |
The Laureate Institute for Brain Research (LIBR) in Tulsa, Oklahoma sponsored "Cannabis Conference: What We Have Learned Through Scientific Research" on January 17th, 2019 from at the Lorton Performance Center on the University of Tulsa campus. A panel of academic experts from around the country discussed their research findings related to public health and cannabis use. The conference consisted of opening remarks and introductions, plenary talks, panelist sessions and moderated discussions throughout the day. Distinguished Speakers included:
Morning Opening Remarks and Sessions: Martin Paulus, M.D. Scientific Director, Laureate Institute for Brain Research Sarah W. Feldstein Ewing, Ph.D. (AM session) Oregon Health & Science University, Director, Adolescent Behavioral Health Clinic Francesca Filbey, Ph.D. (AM session) University of Texas at Dallas, School of Behavioral and Brain Science Kent Hutchinson, Ph.D. University of Colorado Boulder, The Center for Health and Addiction: Neuroscience, Genes, and Environment Susan Tapert, Ph.D. University of California at San Diego, Department of Psychiatry Afternoon Opening Remarks and Sessions: Sahib Khalsa, M.D., Ph.D., Director of Clinical Studies, Laureate Institute for Brain Research Scott Grantham, M.D. Medical Director, Laureate Psychiatric Clinic and Hospital Terri White, M.S.W Commissioner, Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Gerard Clancy, M.D. President, University of Tulsa |
We are posting our own notes on each presenter, and the clip of their presentations, from the youtube archives. The LIBR videos were lacking sufficient audio capacity, so until their original footage is corrected, we are posting these unlisted clips, so that everyone can benefit from what the Warren Foundation intended.
He gives us a primer on the historic perspective and presents a conference overview An important part of his foundational remarks was spent explaining the many types of evidence and just how much we can or cannot depend on each form of study. | |
She discusses adolescent cannabis us and related risk behaviors. Much of her evidence is what Dr. Paulus refers to as uncontrolled, cross-sectional, and case studies. While she admits that there is no established causal link of cannabis use in teens and serious mental illness, she believes that there is sufficient basis for concern of such matters. The discussion focuses on cannabis consumption not helping their other behavioral issues, and even making unrelated behavioral issues that much harder to address and treat. | |
Filbey provides new and exciting information from her studies of the physiological observations of the brain as it is absorbing cannabis medicines. She largely dispels the myth of the 'pothead slacker'. Her evidence shows an increased motivation for opportunity, when influenced by cannabis. She also shows the way cannabis hampers the fear reations in the frontal cortex. That evidence demonstrates how a patient suffering anxiety disorder may find relief from panic attacks with cannabis. | |
Tapert focuses on the many studies around the world which merely publish volumes of self-reports by patients in uncontrolled conditions. She acknowledges that the study authors do not establish a causal relationship of cannabis and serious mental illness, but then she assumes & implies the same in the rest of her presentation. She supports a prohibition based upon ignorance. She says that since we don't know, we should abstain and advocate for abstinsion. | |
Hutchison had the most captivating & at times amusing presentation. He discusses the university politics of getting authorization for conducting studies on cannabis. He talks about the novel innovations of making the research work for the lawyers and the patients. He clearly provided some of the latest & even unpublished new studies in the nation. | |
Jason Beaman's presentation to the Laureate Cannabis Conference was edited out of the videos that Laureate made public on Youtube. In this very brief clip, you can see as Beeman, in his navy blue sweater, walks off stage after having part of his presentation discredited by Dr. Regina Nelson. Nelson has published 4 books, including a dosage guideline volume for treatments. Beaman insisted that such dosage guidelines do not exist. Beaman had implied threats in his speech, that he and his peers would be the judges of a physician who recommends cannabis, when they get reported complaints & face disciplinary reviews. | |
Grantham seems to be tag-teaming with Beaman in a demonstration of the worst of group-think. Grantham explains his administrative policy of banning all cannabis medicines until the body of academia and medical communities complete a major shift in acceptance. He proudly declares that his facilities will "stay in the middle" and only adopt treatment protocols using the safe pharmaceuticals which have been approved by the FDA. | |
White began her presentation with a resolved assertion that medical marijuana is here to stay. She then made her case for how promising CBD oil is, and how terrifying and dangerous THC is. She advocates for CBD while resisting THC. But that's exactly what Oklahoma's public policy was BEFORE SQ788 legalized the entire cannabis plant for medicinal use. | |
Clancy made great use of his skills as a university president and a medical doctor. But his communications skills were even more evident, as he tells of the worst aspects of California's marijuana policy and his hopes for a better policy in Oklahoma. Clancy is honored that his university played a part in this important national conference. | |