In 1971, Harvard psychiatry professor Dr. Lester Grinspoon was one of the first academics in America to propose that cannabis might be a useful medicine in his book 'Marihuana Reconsidered.' More than 50 years later, Lester's son Dr. Peter Grinspoon has picked up the torch and become one of the world's leading expert voices on medical marijuana.

In this episode, host Brit Smith talks to Dr. Peter Grinspoon about his forthcoming book “Seeing Through the Smoke: A Cannabis Specialist Untangles the Truth About Marijuana," which drops on 4/20.

In his new book, Peter continues the work his father started by taking an analytical, scholarly review of the world’s cannabis research to date, and discusses the known benefits and harms of the cannabis plant as a medicine.

Brit and Peter delve into some of the major topics in Peter's new book, like how cannabis works for pain, sleep, and PTSD, and the data on cannabis and psychosis, addiction, and autism.

They also break down the research on topics like whether cannabis really kills cancer, whether smoking weed really makes us lazy, and whether pot is really dangerous for those with schizophrenia in their families.

Peter also discusses what it was like growing up in the Grinspoon family, being surrounded by intellectuals who saw cannabis as a medicine and watching his own teenage brother use weed to help with the side effects of chemotherapy, while at the same time being taught about the 'dangers of his brain on drugs' at school.

Get a sneak peek of Dr. Grinspoon's new book "Seeing Through the Smoke" on page 44 of the Winter 2023 issue of Different Leaf magazine, available at DifferentLeaf.com, or find your local in-person retailer at DifferentLeaf.com/on-the-newsstand

Follow us on social media @DifferentLeaf, and find host Brit Smith @BritTheBritish

Find DL's new merch line at xDifferentLeaf.com