Dr. Christian Thurstone is one of a handful of physicians in the United States who are certified in general, child and adolescent addictions psychiatry.
He and a panel of local experts will speak from 6:30-8:30 p.m. today at the Hawthorn Bank Community Room on Amazonas Drive. The program is free and is meant to bring understanding of the use of marijuana and the realities of addiction. Following the presentation, there will be an open forum for comments and questions.
"He wants people to understand that while there are compassionate stories (about substance abuse and addiction), stop trafficking anecdotes and look at the science," said Christine Tatum, Thurstone's wife and a veteran journalist who owns the market research firm Media Salad.
Thurstone, based in Denver, is part of an alliance of organizations and individuals - Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) - who are dedicated to a health-first approach to marijuana policy.
Thurstone is dedicated to the well-being of children and does not favor the legalization of marijuana.
"Children are our most precious resource," Thurstone quotes on the SAM website, learnaboutsam.org. "We should shield them from harm, not expose them to it. If we truly want more positive outcomes for our nation, we must develop public drug policies from a new starting point: "What's in the best interests of the kids?'"
For more information about Thurstone, visit drthurstone.com. Registration is not required for tonight's event, but you may register at thinkagainmo.org.