Experts in the News

Congratulations to fellow Katharine Neill Harris and scholar Christopher F. Kulesza, recipients of a drug policy research grant from Ohio State University's Drug Enforcement and Policy Center. Neill Harris and Kulesza will use the funds to study the impact of cannabis legalization on county-level drug enforcement patterns.

Many recreational drugs known for mind-altering trips are being studied to treat depression, substance use and other disorders. “You’re not likely to overdose on [psychedelics], but you can have life-changing negative experiences,” said drug policy fellow Katharine Neill Harris.

Synthetic opioids like fentanyl — the primary driver of a 30.8% increase in drug overdose deaths for the 12-month period ending March 2021 —  are "a can of worms that’s open now,” said drug policy fellow Katharine Neill Harris. The best solution starts with education, she added. "It’s important to educate individuals about the risks and to provide resources so people can figure out what they’re taking."

Drug policy fellow Katharine Neill Harris testified before the Senate State Affairs Committee in support of HB 2593, which would reduce penalties for possession of some marijuana concentrate. “Under current law, possession of any amount of the [concentrate] is a felony, in the same category as drugs like heroin, meth and cocaine, and there is no rational basis for this classification,” she said. “HB 2593 would create a more reasonable penalty for the concentrates by treating them like other parts of the marijuana plant. It would also remove the stain of a felony conviction, the negative consequences of which affect all areas of a person's life and severely limit their education and job prospects.” Neill Harris is the Alfred C. Glassell, III, Fellow in Drug Policy

In states that have legalized marijuana, increases or decreases in use among youth have been very small, said drug policy fellow Katharine Neill Harris. Meanwhile, use among adults is increasing nationwide, including in states that have legalized, she added.