Famous marijuana advocate and self-styled ‘Mr Nice’ Howard Marks is to address UCC’s Psychological Society at a hotly anticipated event to be held in UCC next week.
Marks is to appear at the vaguely titled “Marijuana, science, experience” debate organized by the college’s Psychological society in which he is to discuss marijuana with a lecturer from UCC’s Department of Pharmacology.
The event is to be held in Boole 4, 26 Jan (Wed. night), between 6 and 10pm; a packed crowed is anticipated.
Dr. John Cryan, a psychopharmacologist from the Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics at the School of Pharmacy, will also be in attendance and is to present a medical and pharmaceutical analysis of the famous substance which ranks as Ireland’s most used illegal drug.
Marks, a fervent fan of marijuana and advocate for its worldwide legalization, is to present the benefits of marijuana to the Society, and debate its legal status.
Legalize Cannabis Ireland (LCI), a grassroots Irish organization set up to lobby for the legalization of the drug in Ireland, welcomed news of the talk.
Aoife Spengeman, Auditor of the UCC Psychological Society told Cork Student News this morning that the Society was “delighted to have organized the event,” adding that it would offer UCC students “the chance to hear a very interesting life story and an informative and interesting debate on the legal status and use of marijuana,” but underscored that the Psychological Society “does not condone or support the use of illegal drugs but rather presents these talks as a useful opportunity to entertain and educate.”
The EU recently held breakthrough discussions on medical marijuana in which it unexpectedly signaled its intention not to impede the passage of legislation legalizing medicinal marijuana in any Member State. The move was heralded as a minor victory by pro-marijuana groups at the time.
A study from UCC’s Department of Health last year concluded that a quarter of UCC students had used the drug, which is still illegal, both medicinally and recreationally, in Ireland.
The Psychological Society’s “Marijuana, Science, Experience” talk, featuring Howard Marks and Dr John Cryan is to take place in Boole 4, 26 Jan (Wed. night), at 1800.
By Daniel O’Carroll
Source: www.corkstudentnews.com
