Paula D. Gordon, Ph.D. is an Educator, Writer, Strategist, Online Publisher (including http://GordonDrugAbusePrevention.com ), and Instructor of three online courses, offered by the Auburn University Outreach.

“The Effects and Impacts of Marijuana Use ~ Policies and Approaches Addressing the Challenges”.

Offerings in the remainder of 2019: August 5 – 25, 2019 & October 7 – 27, 2019 Registration Fee: $149 (Discount of 10% to groups of five or more when one person registers for the members of the group. ) The course is being taught on a pass/not pass basis. It is not taught in “real time” which means that those taking the course can complete assignments each week when it is convenient for them to do so. It is not necessary to be online at specific times each week. For more information and to register, go to http://www.auburn.edu/outreach/opce/marijuana.htm and http://www.auburn.edu/outreach/opce/marijuana.htm#registration or call (334) 844-5100. The course is offered by Auburn University’s Office of Professional and Continuing Education. The course has been designed to help arm those who are concerned about the harmful effects of marijuana and about the negative individual and societal impacts of the legalization of marijuana is having on individuals, families, communities, and on society. The course has also been designed to help expand the knowledge and understanding of those who are working to address the problem of recreational drug use and addiction in America so that they can be as successful as possible in their efforts. The course is also designed to help those in the position of public responsibility understand what policy and program options have been working and what options might be tried to achieve the hoped-for outcome of turning around current trends involving the use marijuana in America. Here are some additional particulars about the course: Participants in the course will study material drawn from a wide range of freely accessible resources including among others, the instructor’s website, http://GordonDrugAbusePrevention.com . Topics to be addressed include the following: The need to defend the brain while nurturing mental and physical well-being; The need to foster a mental and public health approach to addressing the challenges of drug use and addiction; and The need to develop and implement comprehensive coordinated strategies aimed at stopping the use of marijuana and other psychoactive and addictive substances in the US. The course emphasizes the need for comprehensive and coordinated public health-oriented strategies involving all sectors of society, including government, the justice system, and educational institutions.

A New Four-Week Online Course on Combatting and Treating the Drug Addiction & Opioid Crisis

A New Four-Week Online Course on Combatting and Treating the Drug Addiction & Opioid Crisis is also being offered in 2019 and 2020. The dates in 2019 are as follows: August 5 – September 1, 2019. Registration Fee: $400. 10% discount for five or more from the same organization when registered by one person from that organization. For more information and to register, go to http://www.auburn.edu/outreach/opce/emergencymgmt/#courses and https://opce.catalog.auburn.edu/courses/c190128 or call (334) 844-5100. It is anticipated that the course will be offered again in 2020.The role that exposure to and the use of marijuana are playing in the opioid epidemic will be highlighted along with the role that cartels and the black market are playing. See the Letter to Members of the Canadian Parliament posted at http://GordonDrugAbusePrevention.com for the research findings, studies, and investigative reporting that provides evidence concerning these connections. The tendencies of public officials to narrowly define the problem and not see the role that marijuana and poly-drug use are having in the drug addiction and opioid crisis are highlighted in the course. A broader way of defining the challenges associated with drug taking behavior and addiction is featured, along with exemplary approaches to addressing the Drug Crisis.

A New Three-Week Online Course: “Transforming and Leading Organizations”

A New Three-Week Online Course has also been added in 2019: on “Transforming and Leading Organizations” Dates Being Offered in 2019: August 5 – 25, 2019; October 7 – 27, 2019; and October 28 – November 17, 2019 . Registration Fee: $149. 10% discount for five or more from the same organization when registered by one person from that organization. “Transforming and Leading Organizations” is designed to help leaders, managers, and drug abuse prevention activists hone their abilities and problem-solving skills in ways that help them have greater success in accomplishing their goals. Approaches to fostering healthy change; utilizing educational change strategies; communicating effectively; understanding the perspectives of those with differing values, information, and objectives; and resolving conflicts will all be addressed in the course. . For more information and to register, go to http://www.auburn.edu/outreach/opce/tlo/ and http://www.auburn.edu/outreach/opce/tlo/#schedulereg or call (334) 844-5100.

Information about the Course Instructor:

The Instructor for the course is Paula D. Gordon, Ph.D. Dr. Gordon has been involved in the drug abuse prevention and drug policy fields for many decades. She had a non-profit organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area. That organization focused on addressing the drug problem particularly as it was affecting youth and young adults in the ‘60’s and ‘70’s. At that time, she wrote a Guide to Ideas on Drug Abuse Policies and Programs. The Guide is still being distributed by the U.S. Education Resources Information Center. (A copy is accessible at http://GordonDrugAbusePrevention.com). Dr. Gordon was a major contributor to a White Paper on the Drug Problem prepared for the Domestic Affairs Council Staff of the White House. That was at a time in the early ‘70s when there was no Federal coordinating effort overseeing drug abuse prevention programs and policies. She later served as a full-time consultant in the Office of the Director of the National Institute of Mental Health, when NIMH was given initial responsibilities for overseeing drug prevention efforts, the recommendation that she had initially made to the White House Domestic Affairs Council staff. She served as the full-time staff person to the Federal Drug Abuse Prevention Coordinating Committee. She also played a role in initiating and shaping the legislation that gave rise to the Special Action Office for Drug Abuse Prevention (SAODAP) in the Executive Office of the President. SAODAP took the place of the Federal Drug Abuse Prevention Coordinating Committee. Later, SAODAP was replaced by the Office for National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). Her past experience in government has also included drug abuse prevention-related contracting and consulting roles with the Department of Justice. Owing to her efforts, a set of three Regional Conferences on “Alternatives to Drugs” was held under the auspices of the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. A substantial website including her work can be found at GordonDrugAbusePrevention.com . Included among the articles, presentations, and reports is a 33-page list of references on the harmful effects of on marijuana. Some of her work that is posted there includes the following: • A Case for Protecting the Brain: Keeping the Federal Controlled Substances Act in Place and Providing Non-Punitive, Justice System-Based Public Health Options to Address the Use of Marijuana, Opiates, and Other Psychoactive and Mood-Altering Drugs in America. (October 14, 2016), a presentation given at the 2016 International Criminology Conference, in Washington, D.C. • “Ways in Which Marijuana Use and Legalization are Fueling the Opioid Crisis” (May 30, 2019) . A presentation prepared for officials of the Drug Enforcement Administration.) • The Illegality of Legalizing Marijuana Use: An Open Plea to the President and All Other Sworn Federal, State, and Local Public Officials Concerning Marijuana Policies and Laws in the United States: What Part of “I swear to take Care that Laws be faithfully executed” or “I swear to support and defend the Constitution” Do You Not Understand? (August 4, 2014). An article published by Family Security Matters. • The Harm Caused to Individuals and Society by the Use of Marijuana (December 29, 2009). An article also published by Family Security Matters. Also highlighted in the courses taught by Dr. Gordon will be a review submitted by S. Reece, M.D. to the FDA re cannabis arteriopathy, genotoxicity, and teratogenicity ( posted on http://GordonDrugAbusePrevention.com ) Dr. Gordon has developed and is offering the course on “The Effects and Impacts of Marijuana Use ~ Policies and Approaches Addressing the Challenges” and other new courses in an effort to help more fully inform and support those working to stop the spiraling use of marijuana and other psychoactive substances in our society. The courses are designed to help inform policy makers and others in roles of public responsibility concerning the harmful effects of marijuana and the substantial negative impacts its use has on individuals, families, communities, and society in general. Those who participate in the course will be in a better position to help ensure that policy makers, legislators, and others are as fully informed as possible concerning the effects and impacts of drug-taking behavior. All who take the course will be better prepared to develop and implement sound policies and programs. They will be able to enhance drug abuse prevention, intervention, treatment, and rehabilitation efforts and they will also be enabled to help ensure that current drug-taking trends are reversed. China was able to conquer opium. The United States can surely be successful addressing the widespread use of marijuana, opiates, and other mind-altering and mood-altering substances that are threatening the rising generation as well as all others in society today. Indeed, current trends are threatening the very stability and future of our free society and our extraordinary experiment in maintaining a government that protects and preserves the freedom that we hold dear. Mary Parker Follett has said that the definition of the purpose of democracy was “to unleash creative energies”. The subtext of her words was to unleash creative energies for the benefit of humankind. We must do all we can to, to borrow Dr. Bertha Madras’ words, “to defend the brain” and I would add to protect the body and the moral fiber of the people of our great nation. If we fail to do so, we will have forsaken the promise that the nation’s founders and all who have since protected our freedoms have helped secure and have given up so much to bequeath these freedoms to us.

Some Statements of Endorsement for the Course on “The Effects and Impacts of Marijuana ~ Policies and Approaches Addressing the Challenges”

Dr. Paula Gordon, an instructor for Auburn University’s Outreach, is offering an inexpensive on-line course on marijuana that I think is beneficial to everyone engaged in the battle to save our kids and nation from this insidious drug. Given the problems we have with marijuana in California, I highly recommend this course for anyone seeking to improve their knowledge. Roger Morgan Take Back America Campaign (916) 434 5629 _____________________________________________________________________________________ Wow! This is a terrific opportunity! Educators, social workers, those in the Criminal Justice system, policymakers, legislators, and community volunteers all need to take this course!! …I want to introduce you to Dr. Paula Gordon who developed this course on the harms of marijuana. We need to spread the word to all our colleagues about the value and importance of having this information, especially today in light of all the pro pot misinformation… Great Opportunity! A three-week online course on Harms of Marijuana begins soon. Sign up today! Please help spread the word, especially to those in the prevention and treatment fields! Stephanie Haynes Greater New Orleans Drug Demand Reduction Coalition SOS – Save Our Society from Drugs- Florida, Texas, Louisiana _____________________________________________________________________________________ Thank you for providing such great instruction! The resources you provided and the ideas you “spurred” in my mind that will help me with my work in the future were invaluable… Thanks for a very interesting class! I have gained new insight that I believe will help me going forward….. As my first ever online class, you made it easy and fun! Dr. Joe Godfrey, Executive Director Alabama Citizens Action Program (ALCAP) & American Character Builders _____________________________________________________________________________________ The resources you’ve shared with all of us are a real boost to my program. Thank you so much! Thanks for the additional tips and references on understanding the perspectives of many people that are pro-legalization. I think many times people just aren’t informed or perhaps they heard some information on television and assumed it was correct… Susan J. Short, Executive Director Covington County Children’s Policy Council Coalition Lurleen B. Wallace Community College Child Development Center Andalusia, Alabama