"Medical Marijuana: Helpful or Harmful?"

Science Matters Program Explores the Scientific and Social Impact of Medical Marijuana

Presented by the California Science Center

LOS ANGELES, March 27, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The California Science Center's Science Matters, a speaker's program that explores science issues in the forefront of public concern, will present "Medical Marijuana: Helpful or Harmful?" March 30, 2013 from 1:00-2:30 p.m. The program is free to the public and will take place in the Loker Conference Center at the California Science Center. This timely program comes just weeks before Los Angeles residents will vote on three ballot measures to regulate medical marijuana.

Marijuana, considered a controlled substance by the Federal government, has been decriminalized for therapeutic purposes by California. Does it in fact provide an effective alternative treatment for the symptoms of various medical conditions, or is it a dangerous substance with no proven medicinal value? The passage of Proposition 15 and SB420, making the medical use of marijuana legal, has given rise to policies that vary from city to city, and guidelines for implementation that are open to interpretation. The proliferation of medical marijuana dispensaries in the city of the Los Angeles is a testimony to this state of affairs. What is their impact on local communities and are there solutions that can satisfy the opposing constituencies of this hotly debated issue? In this program experts will discuss these concerns from a variety of perspectives: medical science, community impact, public policy, and ethics.

Conan Nolan, NBC4 reporter and host of News Conference, will serve as moderator for this panel discussion.

Panelists include Donald P. Tashkin, M.D., Professor of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; Bridget Freisthler, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Social Welfare, Luskin School of Public Affairs at UCLA; Sari J. Steel, Principal Deputy County Counsel, Los Angeles County Counsel; and Joyce Weitzberg, RN, retired nurse and former medical marijuana dispensary director.

Program attendees will have a chance to hear the debates on this issue and to ask questions of the panelists at the end of the program. Admission is free. All those interested in attending may RSVP at 213.744-2420.

About the California Science Center
The California Science Center's mission is as follows: "We aspire to stimulate curiosity and inspire science learning in everyone by creating fun, memorable experiences, because we value science as an indispensable tool for understanding our world, accessibility and inclusiveness, and enriching people's lives."

General Info:
The California Science Center and IMAX Theater are located in historic Exposition Park just west of the Harbor (110) Freeway at 700 Exposition Park Drive, Los Angeles. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. General admission is free. For recorded information, including IMAX show times, call 323.SCIENCE (323.724-3623). IMAX ticket prices range from $5.00 to $8.25. For advance ticket purchases, group rates, or to make reservations for any visiting group of 15 or more (required), call 213.744-2019. Parking is available in the guest lot at Figueroa and 39^th / Exposition Park Drive at $10 per car, $25 for buses or oversized vehicles. Both the Science Center and IMAX Theater are wheelchair accessible. For further information, please visit our website at www.californiasciencecenter.org.

SOURCE California Science Center Foundation