Lester Grinspoon

Dr Lester Grinspoon is Associate Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Grinspoon is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Psychiatric Association. Now one of the most respected and outspoken proponents of cannabis, Dr Grinspoon originally set out to prove it was a harmful drug. In 1967 he began research to scientifically define the dangers of marijuana. His studies led him to a surprising conclusion, the opposite of his hypothesis. Cannabis was not the dangerous drug that he, and the general public, had been led to believe it was.

His book "Marijuana Reconsidered" (1971) reflected this reversal of opinion and was followed by several more, including "Marijuana: The Forbidden Medicine" in 1993. It describes a variety of ailments for which cannabis ingestion may be indicated.

Dr. Grinspoon runs 2 websites: 1) Marijuana: The Forbidden Medicine that includes thousands of individual anecdotes concerning the medical uses of marijuana as well as Questions and Answers; and 2) Uses of Marijuana that allows for people to submit essays relating to the 'enhancing' effects that marijuana can have on the user. The focus is on effects which are meaningful for the individual: not merely 'increased appetite', but rather effects such as increased creativity, rushes of insight/new ideas, or increased appreciation for music, art and nature.

Dr. Grinspoon was a prominent speaker at the 1998 NORML conference in Washington, DC.

Dr. Grinspoon endorsed Washington Initiative 1068 in May, 2010.

Dr. Lester Grinspoon was born June 24, 1928 in Newton, Massachusetts.