Erin McEvoy

Articles by Erin McEvoy

In a presentation for the psychedelics track at Cannabis Science Conference East 2022, Janie Maedler, Vice President of Rylie’s Smile Foundation and President of Rylie’s Sunshine LLC, led a panel discussion with Rylie Maedler, President of Rylie’s Smile and CEO of Rylie’s Sunshine LLC; Rita Lynn Lawrence, a cannabis patient advocate; and University of Miami cannabis epidemiologist Dr. Denise Vidot. The presentation titled “Psychedelics for Beginners” discussed the basics of using psychedelics for treating mental health issues safely and successfully. Here are some highlights from the session.

In his presentation for the psychedelics track at Cannabis Science Conference East 2022, James Schwartz, BSN, LNC, presented “A New Beginning for an Old Therapy: Case Series Review on the Treatment of PTSD and Other Psychiatric Disorders with Psilocybin and Other Psychedelics.” He reviewed the current research and clinical trials studying the effects of psilocybin, plus side effects, potential uses, latest trends, disorders currently being studied, and potential future applications. Schwartz was a trauma trained nurse who worked in the Trauma/Critical Care ICU at Oregon Health and Science University. He is an experienced medical legal consultant and CEO of Cascade High. Here are some highlights from his session.

In his keynote address for the psychedelics track at Cannabis Science Conference East 2022, Dr. Matthew Johnson presented his talk “Psilocybin in the Treatment of Tobacco Addiction,” which reviewed the treatment of substance use disorders with classic psychedelics (5HT2A agonists) including LSD and psilocybin. Dr. Matthew Johnson, PhD, is the Susan Hill Ward Professor of Psychedelics at Johns Hopkins and is one of the world’s most widely published experts on psychedelics. Here are some highlights from his session.

In a keynote address for the psychedelics track at Cannabis Science Conference East 2022, Dr. Andrew Coop, Dr. Chad Johnson, and Dr. Leah Sera of the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy presented “There’S Room for Everyone: The Emerging Field of Psychedelic Therapeutics.” The talk focused on the history of psychedelics, “classical” and “nonclassical” psychedelics, the current clinical research studies on psychedelics, and the announcement of a master’s program in the Cannabis Science and Therapeutics program at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. Here are some highlights from the session.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) recently posted a notice to Drug Enforcement Agency-approved cannabis manufacturers that they will soon be able to submit applications to supply cannabis for research purposes. Currently, NIDA has only worked with one cannabis farm for the past 50 years–the new cannabis supplier selected by NIDA would be the second federally authorized in the country.

Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is a non-profit dedicated to ensuring safe and legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and research. ASA was founded in 2002 by medical cannabis patient, Steph Sherer, as a vehicle for patients to advocate for the acceptance of cannabis as medicine. ASA has local chapters throughout the United States, and in this series of interviews, we introduce you to those chapters and highlight some of the state-level work being done to advocate for patients’ access and rights. In this installment, Nico Murillo, the chair of the Dallas, Texas chapter, shares some advocacy highlights from the lone star state.

Cannabis testing laboratories play an important role in ensuring consumer safety and quality throughout the industry. These laboratories face many challenges—from the variety of samples in the industry to changing regulations and testing requirements and everything in between. In this interview, Sarah Ahrens, Founder and CEO of True Labs for Cannabis LLC, explains her philosophy and approach behind building her cannabis analytical testing laboratory in New Jersey. She also covers current developments in the cannabis testing industry and what needs to be done to ensure it has a transparent and productive future that benefits producers and consumers alike.