IASIC Speaker Series

Friday, May 22nd @ 01:00 PM Eastern

IASIC Speaker Series is pleased to invite you to join us for an insightful webinar, Not All Kids Are Alright: Pediatric and Youth Emergency Visits and Hospitalizations after Cannabis Legalization, featuring groundbreaking research from Cheryl Y. S. Foo, Ph.D., and Toby Raybould, M.S. This session will explore the evolving landscape of youth health in the era of cannabis legalization and the public health implications for families, clinicians, and policymakers.

Speakers: Cheryl Y. S. Foo, Ph.D. and Toby Raybould, M.S.

About the Speakers:

Cheryl Y. S. Foo, Ph.D., is the Associate Director of the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Center of Excellence for Psychosocial and Systemic Research, Director of Family Services of the MGH First Episode and Early Psychosis Program, and an Instructor in Psychology at Harvard Medical School. As a clinician-researcher and implementation specialist, her work is focused on making evidence-based treatments for individuals with serious mental illness more accessible and used in community care settings. Her clinical expertise is in providing cognitive behavioral therapies and family interventions for early psychosis, particularly for those with co-occurring substance use disorders. Her research has been supported by the National Institute of Mental Health, Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute, and the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health.

Toby Raybould, M.S., is the Trauma Outreach Program Manager for adult and pediatric trauma at Massachusetts General Hospital. She has a master’s degree from the Harvard School of Public Health with a focus on Health and Social Behavior, including the use of theoretical models for health behavior change. She has experience identifying best practices, designing, implementing, and evaluating health promotion and prevention programs at Children’s Hospital Boston, Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, the American Legacy Foundation, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

In her current role in the Division of Trauma at Massachusetts General Hospital, she initiated and manages a program of research in injury prevention with a particular focus on the impact of public health laws.

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Thursday, July 23rd @ 12:00 PM Eastern

This session will explore an often-overlooked public health concern—the release of airborne toxins from cannabis cultivation and their potential impact on surrounding communities. The presentation will examine both immediate respiratory effects and longer-term risks, including carcinogenicity.

Join us as we discuss the broader public health implications of cannabis-related emissions and explore potential pathways to better understand and address these emerging environmental and health challenges.

Speakers: Deborah A. Eppstein, PhD, Alan H. Cohen, MD, and Craig S. Harrison, JD

About the Speakers:

Deborah A. Eppstein has a doctorate in biochemistry with postdoctoral work in virology and cell biology. She worked in the pharmaceutical/biotechnology industry for 37 years, directing research in cancer, vaccines, stem cells and drug delivery. She has over 50 scientific publications, book chapters and 25 patents. Dr. Eppstein honed her legal expertise with teams at major law firms and pharmaceutical companies. After she retired, she moved to Sonoma County where she became involved in environmental and public safety issues. 

Craig S. Harrison is a retired environmental attorney and holds a BA in biochemistry (U.C. Berkeley). For decades he represented industrial companies in EPA Clean Air Act rule makings, compliance, and enforcement litigation. He has participated in the regulation of cannabis cultivation in Sonoma County, California, for a decade and has served as president of his local community association for 12 years. He has lived in Santa Rosa since 2002. 

Alan H. Cohen, MD is a board-certified Pediatric Pulmonologist with a longstanding interest in respiratory infectious diseases (eg RSV, influenza, hMPV), as well as a Lung Transplant and Cystic Fibrosis physician. He has worked at many highly regarded Pulmonary Centers of Excellence, including those at the University of Colorado/National Jewish Center for Immunology & Respiratory Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, Emory University, Johns Hopkins and most recently on the clinical faculty at Stanford University School of Medicine.  

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Thursday, August 19th @ 1:00 PM Eastern

This session will highlight emerging evidence on the respiratory impacts of cannabis use, featuring newly released Canadian data examining the effects of cannabis smoking on lung health. As cannabis use continues to rise globally, understanding its implications for respiratory function and long-term health outcomes is increasingly critical.

Join us as we examine the evolving evidence base and discuss the implications for prevention, clinical practice, and public awareness.

Speakers: Janice Leung, MD

About the Speaker:

Dr. Janice Leung is a respirologist at St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, Canada, and an Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia. She is the Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Translational Airway Biology and the GlaxoSmithKline Chair in COPD. Her research interests are in novel exposures leading to accelerated airways disease, including HIV, vaping, and cannabis smoking. She is supported by grant funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Canadian Cancer Society, and the Heart and Stroke Foundation.  

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