CANNABIS SYMPOSIUM 2
Educating One Another
1 – 3 DECEMBER 2023
PORTLAND, OREGON
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. Thanks to all who have made a contribution to it.
The Partners
We Thank the Premier Sponsors
SYMPOSIUM SCHEDULE & PRESENTATIONS
Friday, December 1
Reception @ Cultiva Law Firm
All Welcome To Attend
Time: 5-10pm
Address: 11 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd Suite 420, Portland, OR 97232, United States
The Symposium will be presenting the Symposium Education Award (SEA) to Sen. Darryl Ervin Rouson (FL) for his work as a Prosecutor; as a Member of the Substance Abuse and Addictions Task Force for The National Bar Association;.as the President of the St. Petersburg NAACP; as a Commissioner on the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Commission;.as a State Respresentative & Senator; and, a supporter of FAMU/MMERI who educate and inform Florida’s multi-cultural population about medical marijuana and the potential consequence to health and well-being from recreational use.
Darryl Ervin Rouson has earned a reputation as a trailblazer in business and the community. In 1981, he became the first African American prosecutor in Pinellas County. In 2003, he was appointed to the newly formed Substance Abuse and Addictions Task Force for The National Bar Association. Sen. Rouson also served as president of the St. Petersburg NAACP from 2000 to 2005. He also served as a commissioner on both the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission in 2007 and the Constitutional Revision Commission in 2017. In April 2008, Sen. Rouson’s years of activism, bold leadership and community service culminated in his being elected to represent Tampa Bay in the Florida House of Representatives. He served the constituents of Tampa Bay as their representative for eight years.
In 2016, he was elected State Senator from District 19 which includes portions of Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. In November 2022 he was elected to his final term in the State Senate, District 16 (redistricting). Since Sen. Rouson began his tenure in the Florida Legislature, he has been regularly listed as one of Tampa Bay’s most influential politicians. In 2021, he was appointed to serve as a commissioner on the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Commission. Senator Rouson currently serves at the Vice-Chairman to the Appropriations Committee and served as the Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee for the 2020-2022 term.
Sen. Rouson received a college degree in 1977 from Xavier University in New Orleans and graduated from law school at the University of Florida in 1980. He is married to Angela Rouson and proudly raises his five boys while practicing law in the Tampa Bay area with Rubenstein Law.
Saturday, December 2
8.00 – 8:45 am
Continental Breakfast & Vendor Time
PLEASE VISIT OUR VENDORS
8:45 – 9:00 am
Symposium Welcome
Welcome To Country By Mary Jane Oatman – Water Song
Since time immemorial, the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest have given reverence to the sacred gift of water. This song has been a part of the healing journey of contemporary indigenous women, including Mary Jane Oatman, who is a mitochondrial matriarch of the Nez Perce community.
Break
11.15 – 12.30 pm
BREAKOUT SESSION 1
Please Remember To Select Your Breakout Panel (LINK)
Cannabis & The Courts
Moderator & Speaker – Judge Scott Pearson.
Judge Eric Bergstrom.
Mediator, Retired Circuit Court Judge, Judge Janet Holmgren.
Presiding Judge of the Problem-Solving Courts Division Illinois.
Hon. Elizabeth L. Gunn.
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Columbia in Washington, D.C
Judge Valeri Love.
Chief Juvenile Judge Lane County Circuit Court, Oregon
Hemp & Hemp Derivatives
Moderator – Nolan M. Jackson Attorney At Law Frost Brown Todd.
Nolan is a key member of Frost Brown Todd’s hemp regulatory group based in Washington DC , the preeminent hemp practice in the United States.
Philip Snow – Attorney.
Philip has represented cannabis businesses in both existing and emerging markets across the United States and Canada.
Judge Mary Celeste (ret.).
Judge Mary A. Celeste (ret.) retired from the Denver County Court Bench and now is a Professor teaching Cannabis & the Law at California Western School of Law. She is a national content expert and speaker on the topic of cannabis and the law.
Dr. Shawna Vreeke.
Head of Research and Toxicology at True Terpenes, where she is instrumental in developing and maintaining the rigorous safety and quality protocols the brand is known for. During the Pennsylvania State Department of Health vape recall, she presented as an expert witness supporting growers, processors, and distributors and the implementation of sensible regulations to protect public health and maintain access to regulated medical cannabis products. She has drafted regulatory language that has been adopted in various U.S. state cannabis legislation.
Cannabis & Driving – Differing Views
Moderator & Speaker – Deena Ryerson.
Senior Assistant Attorney General (OR) and Oregon’s Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor.
Sgt. Josh Wilson with the Washington County Sheriffs’ Dept.
Impaired Driving Program Assessor National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA and Drug Recognition Expert.
Jeff Gard.
Lawyer (CO), criminal defense, civil litigation, cannabis/hemp and business matters.
Chris Halsor.
Lawyer (CO), 20 years of criminal law experience. Former 14-year prosecutor. Faculty member for the National Judicial College, training US judges on legal marijuana issues & Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.
12.30 – 2.00 pm
EXTENDED LUNCHEON
Keynote: Dr. Thomas Marcotte.
Field sobriety tests and the detection of cannabis-related impairment
Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego, and Co-Director of the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research, which has conducted clinical trials of cannabis for 20 years.
2.00 – 3.30 pm
3.30 – 3.45 pm
Break
3:45 – 5:00 pm
BREAKOUT SESSION 2
Please Remember To Select Your Breakout Panel (LINK)
Developing Cannabis Testing & Technology
Moderator & Panelist – Tara Lovestead.
Group Leader at National Institute of Standards and Technology . Lead on 2023 pilot study that supports the need for standard materials and methods and more research to realize a cannabis breathalyzer.
Dr. Denise Valenti IMMAD.
Owner of IMMAD-Impairment Measurement Marijuana and Driving. The company provides education, services and technology for the responsible use of cannabis.
Dr. Michael Kosnett.
Medical Toxicologist and Occupational and Environmental Medicine Physician.
Amy Miles, Director Of Forensic Toxicology.
Amy Miles is the Director of the Forensic Toxicology Program at the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH).
Cannabis Treatment & Mental Health
Moderator & Speaker – Linda E. Hurley, MA, CAGS.
Chief Executive Officer ~ CODAC, Inc.
Tanya L. Gouveia, MS, MPA, LCDP-II, LADC-I.
Addiction Recovery Counseling, LLC; Bristol Community College North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, United States.
Dr. Elizabeth Stuyt.
Elizabeth ‘Libby’ Stuyt, MD is a board-certified Addiction Psychiatrist and has worked in the addiction/behavioral health field since 1990
Mark Stodola.
As NHTSA’s Probation Fellow, Mark Stodola brings over 30 years of experience working in the field of court management and adult probation in Arizona.
Beyond Standard Field Sobriety Testing: Other Indicia of Cannabis Driving Impairment.
Moderator & Speaker: Deena Ryerson.
Senior Assistant Attorney General (OR).and Oregon’s Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor.
Chief Deputy District Attorney for Lincoln County, Oregon and Oregon’s Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor.
Lawyer (CO), criminal defense, civil litigation, cannabis/hemp and business matters.
West Region Project Manager for the Drug Evaluation and Classification (DEC) Program for the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP).
Sunday, December 3
8.30 – 9.15 am
Continental Breakfast & Vendor Time
PLEASE VISIT OUR VENDORS
9.15 – 10.15 am
PLENARY Facilitated Reports breakout session 2 and collaborative reflection on emerging ideas with Jenny Leis
10.15 – 10.45 am
Break
10.45 – 12.00 pm
BREAKOUT SESSION 3
Please Remember To Select Your Breakout Panel (LINK)
Cannabis Equity & Inclusion – Deeds, Not Words: Where is Equity & Inclusion in the Cannabis Industry?
Moderator & Speaker – Rob Mejia.
Teaching Specialist, Stockton University, Cannabis Studies
Portia Mittons.
Cannabis Industry Leader & Advocate. Equity business owner, Treasurer & Co-Chair Cannabis Buiness Association of Illinois, Oregon Retailers of Cannabis Association (ORCA) Social Equity Racial Justice Chair.
Mary Jane Oatman.
Founder Indigenous Cannabis Coalition & THC Magazine and Executive Director of the Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association.
Alejandro A Rodriguez.
Founder and instructor at the Cannabis Law Clinic within GGU School of Law
Cannabis in the Workplace and Cannabis Business Considerations
Moderator & Speaker – Trisha Zulick.
Efficient Edge HR & Training Service. Serves on the California State Council of SHRM.
Judge Lisa Dickinson.
Managing Attorney Founder Dickinson Law Firm, PLLC (WA), Washington State Office of Administrative Hearings, Administrative Law Judge Pro Tem, Tribal Court Justice (various tribes).
Dale Gieringer.
Director at California NORML. Director of the California Drug Policy Forum (DPFCA) and treasurer of the Oakland Civil Liberties Alliance. He was one of the original co-authors of California’s medical marijuana initiative, Prop. 215.
Kayla M. Jacob
Kayla Jacob is an associate in the Labor and Employment section of the New Orleans office of law firm, Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson L.L.P.
Cannabis & Legal Information
Moderator – Sean Hocking.
Founder / Editor Cannabis Law Report, Cannabis Law Journal, Global Top 200 Cannabis Lawyers Directory, Global Top 200 Psychedelics Lawyers Directory.
Susan Ameel – President Global Legal Risk Advisors.
GLRA aggregate and AI-enrich public data includinjg Cannabis from over 12,000 US states, counties, cities, towns, villages, and other jurisdictions. From start-ups to large companies, we help drive efficiency through organizations and empower strategic decisions.
Vanessa Christman is the Principal Law Librarian at the California State Library, where she manages the Witkin State Law Library and the Government Publications Section.
David C. Holland – Partner and a member of Prince Lobel’s Business Litigation and Cannabis practice groups.
David is a civil and criminal litigation attorney who has an extensive background in representing a broad range of stakeholders in the cannabis industry. He is the Executive and Legal Director of Empire State NORML, the New York State affiliate of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). He is also a co-founder and President of the New York City Cannabis Industry Association (NYCCIA) and Vice President of the Hudson Valley Cannabis Industry Association (HVCIA).
12.00 – 1.00pm
LUNCH
Keynote Speaker – Scheril Murray Powell.
Chief Operating Officer
1.00pm – 2.15pm
PLENARY
Facilitated Reports breakout session 3 and collaborative reflection on emerging ideas with Jenny Leis.
2.15 – 2.30 pm
Break
2.30 – 3.45 pm
BREAKOUT SESSION 4
Please Remember To Select Your Breakout Panel (LINK)
Regulations & Licensing
Moderator – Heidi Urness.
Member, co-chair, cannabis practice group mcglinchey.
Andrew DeWeese, PC..
Lawyer handling complex business litigation in state and federal court.
David Waxman – mcglinchey.
Serving a national client base, but with a focus on Ohio and other Midwestern states, David advises both individuals and organizations, including public companies, closely held businesses, lenders, and manufacturers.
Daniel Shortt – mcglinchey.
Daniel is a Seattle-based corporate and regulatory attorney who works extensively with entrepreneurs in the cannabis industry.
Psychedelics – Legislation, Regulation, Practicalities & The Law
Moderator – Aaron Pelley.
Managing Partner & Founder Cultiva Law (WA/OR/CA). National Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers, Thomson Reuters Super Lawyer 2020-23, Global Top 200 Cannabis Lawyer.
Shannon O’Fallon.
Senior Assistant Attorney General at Oregon Department of Justice
Kathryn Tucker JD Director of Advocacy.
The Completed Life Initiative. Special Advocacy Advisor, the National Psychedelics Association. Founding Board Member, The Psychedelic Bar Association.
Pat Pizzo – Consultant.
Forensic Toxicologist for 53 years. Served as the Director of Toxicology at Alere Toxicology Laboratory a subsidiary of Abbott Laboratories and for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Washington, DC. Certified as an expert witness in Federal (22 states) and State (17) courts/proceedings and has testified throughout the country.
Matthew Wissler – Approved Oregon Facilitator.
Matthew trained as a facilitator with the Changa Institute and has led practicums for students completing their facilitator certification requirements.
Cannabis: The Good the Bad & the Ugly
Moderator – Anthony Washington FAMU/MMERI.
Dr. Archie Bleyer.
Clinical Research Professor, Radiation Medicine OHSU, School of Medicine, Department of Radiation Medicine. Senior Advisor and Health Services Research Collaborator, Cancer Medicine, Knight Cancer Institute, OHSU and Collaborator, Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington.Dr. Bleyer has been awarded research grants totaling more than $ 87 million as a principal investigator from the National Institutes of Health, the American Cancer Society, University of Texas and the Leukemia Society of America.
Dr. Joseph Rosado.
Leading Physician as well as a well-respected Medical Director, educator, published author, and prominent public speaker.
Dr. Eric Voth.
Dr. Voth is a specialist in Internal Medicine, Pain Management, and Addiction Medicine as well as Former Vice-President of Primary Care at Stormont-Vail HealthCare in Topeka, Kansas. He is a pioneer in the appropriate prescribing of controlled medications and is recognized as an international authority on drug use, drug policy-related issues, pain management, and appropriate prescribing practices.
3.45 – 5.00pm
PLENARY
Facilitated Reports from Breakout Session 4 & Closing Discussion Jenny Leis.
