Welcome to the Second National Interdisciplinary Cannabis Symposium to be held at Portland State University
Last year’s symposium in San Diego was a truly unique experience for me and I am really happy to see it coming back again! I believe this is an important symposium for many interdisciplinary people interested in guiding successful cannabis integration in our society.
Ian Rassman / Executive Director of Los Angeles NORML
This year we hold the Symposium in the beautiful city of Portland, Oregon. Oregon was the first state to decriminallize cannabis in 1970s and one of the first states to legalize cannabis adult use in 2014.
There are now several pending Congressional Bills related to cannabis including decriminalisation and rescheduling of the drug.
Thirty- eight states have some form of medical marijuana. 23 States, D.C. Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and Tribal nations now have adult use marijuana laws with many others exploring legislation for recreational marijuana for 2023-24 .
These continued changes in laws are impacting our courts and society. It is also creating a dynamic and some times confusing landscape for various disciplines including Law Enforcement, Judges, The Legal Profession, In House Counsel, Drug Court Professionals, the Drug and Alcohol Testing Industry, Academia, and Human Resource Associations & Organisations.
The Symposium brings together all of these disciplines who bring with them a variety of viewpoints. The Byline for the Symposium is therefore “Educating One Another.” This year we have extended our Partnerships and have broadened the participation to include toxicologists, MDs and attorneys. We also have a professional Facilitator for the discussion breakouts and an inaugural Award called the Symposium Education Award (SEA). We hope that you join us and enjoy the Symposium!
The revenue generated from this Symposium will be used to cover the cost and seed money. Any excess funds will be donated to 501(C)(3)s that contributed to it.
Twenty Student Scholarships were granted some of which also included travel costs. Some of these scholarships were made pursuant to hardship requests and some were offered through the Dean’s Office of the Law Schools.
Reduced registration rates were offered for public servants and governmental agencies.
Request for financial assistance was given to speakers and panelists in need.
As President of the New England Association of Recovery Courts (NEARCP), I am pleased to support the Cannabis Symposium. I was very fortunate to attend the last Cannabis event and used much of the information provided for our annual Training Conference last Fall.
Cannabis, both Recreational and Medicinal, as well as illegal, present some of the most problematic issues facing Drug and Recovery Courts in New England and the rest of the Country, as well, and so many of these issues were creatively discussed at the last event. I am certain that these important issues will be dealt with in outstanding ways in the next Symposium.
Judge Robert P. Ziemian (ret.) President NEARCP
See the full schedule at https://nationalinterdisciplinarycannabissymposium.com/
