Cannabis, cannabinoids, and cannabimimetics like Delta-8 and THC-P and more are increasingly common across America, including in the state of Tennessee, where we have passed numerous regulations on the industry in recent years. And in states where cannabis has been fully legalized, some products containing Delta-9 THC, the psychoactive ingredient of what is defined in Tennessee state law as marijuana, the concentrations have grown to historically unprecedented levels, with some products boasting 90-95% potency. 

Despite the widespread availability of high-THC cannabis products, however, it seems the general conversation around the safety and efficacy of these substances remains grounded in a lot of misunderstandings. Not to mention a lack of awareness about the concerning side effects of these high-potency synthetically manipulated products, which are not at all like the cannabis of the ‘90s or earlier. 

My guest this month is Dr. Kristen Gilliland, Director of Outreach and Advocacy Programs and Assistant Professor of Research at the Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery at Vanderbilt University. On top of an extensive career in the field, Dr. Gilliland tragically lost her son to a drug overdose in 2019, a couple of years after he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Now, Dr. Gilliland works to provide innovative, evidence-based, and compassionate prevention education to teens about the reality of the modern cannabis market, which has been significantly changed since it became a legal, corporatized, and multibillion dollar industry. 

Original music by Blind House. Hosted and produced with additional scoring by Jeremy Kourvelas.

Learn more:
Speaking Through Me: https://speakingthroughme.squarespace.com/home
Dr. Kristen Gilliland: https://speakingthroughme.squarespace.com/kristen 
SMART: www.smart.tennessee.edu

LISTEN HERE: https://open.spotify.com/show/5qbzONIr0hlWxiQsPwkXHM

Speaking Through Me: Using Compassion and Science to Talk to Teens About Cannabis, Social Media, and Brain Health

SMART Initiative