ASCP 2019: Peering Through the Smoke—What You Need to Know About Cannabis

By William E. Schreiber, MD, FASCP

Public acceptance of cannabis has increased over the past decade, and this is reflected in changes to state laws that govern its possession and sale. Since 2012, 11 states and the District of Columbia have legalized the recreational use of cannabis. Many more states have legalized the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. Drug dealers have given way to government regulated cannabis shops, and tax revenues are flowing.

With these changes come a number of questions:

• Is cannabis a safe form of intoxication, or does it have side effects?
• How does cannabis affect the central nervous system?
• What conditions are treated with medicinal cannabis?
• How many people in the United States and Canada are using cannabis?
• What is the definition of marijuana-impaired driving?
• How reliable are tests for cannabis, and how long does cannabis remain positive after last use?

In my presentation, “Peering Through the Smoke—What You Need to Know About Cannabis,” on Thursday, September 12, at the ASCP 2019 Annual Meeting in Phoenix, I will address all of these topics and more. To keep things interactive, questions for the audience will be interspersed throughout the presentation. Come to the party as we hash out the issues and share a joint understanding of cannabis.

Learn more about education sessions at ASCP 2019 Annual Meeting here.

William E. Schreiber, MD, FASCP, is a past president of ASCP, professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at The University of British Columbia, and Clinical Director of Chemistry at LifeLabs. Prior to joining LifeLabs, he served as medical director of the BC Provincial Toxicology Center, which provides both forensic and clinical toxicology services for the entire province. He will present the session, “Peering Through the Smoke—What You Need to Know About Cannabis,” on Thursday, September 12 at the ASCP 2019 Annual Meeting in Phoenix.