Jay Cavanaugh

Dr. Jay Cavanaugh

The robber barons of the drug industry, the real drug pushers of America, are determined that we live or die or suffer in ways that help their bottom line regardless of science, logic, medicine, compassion, or any other consideration.

When considering the witches brew of concoctions the drug companies want to pour down my throat and into my veins I say a resounding "Just Say No".
- Dr. Jay Cavanaugh, Overgrow forums, March 11, 2003.

Dr. Jay Cavanaugh (1949–2005) was a prominent supporter of medical marijuana. His appointment to the California State Board of Pharmacy for ten years by three Governors and his work in Drug Abuse Recovery make his advocacy of medical marijuana especially important. In 2001 he became National Director of the American Alliance for Medical Cannabis. (AAMC)

• 1970-73 - Los Angeles County Health Department, Outpatient drug treatment caseworker

• 1973-89 - Interagency Drug Abuse Recovery Programs first paid executive director. The program was created by community organizers supported by Los Angeles County and run by volunteers until it was professionalized by the hiring of Jay and other staff.

• 1980-82 - Appointed to the California State Board of Pharmacy

• 1982-86 - Reappointed to the California State Board of Pharmacy

• 1986-90 - Reappointed to the California State Board of Pharmacy for final Constitutional term.

Assisted in developing and coordinating drug enforcement against pharmacies, wholesalers, and manufacturers, diverting narcotics. Developed and implemented Recovering Pharmacist Program. Assisted in insuring pharmacist consultation with patients.

• 1994 - Ph. D in Molecular Biology, Tulane University

• 1997 - became a medical marijuana patient and Los Angeles County Director of the American Alliance for Medical Cannabis.

• 2001 - became National Director of the American Alliance for Medical Cannabis

• On going - Crisis Intervention Consultation and Employee Assistance training for NASA; NBA (Lakers); LAPD; LA Unified School District.

Consider the road Doctor J must have traveled, beginning in 1970 as an Outpatient Drug Treatment Case Worker and then, 30 years later, becoming National Director of The American Alliance of Medical Cannabis and publishing sentiments such as the following in the ground-breaking article "Reckless Disregard":

Don't ask for the truth in the ads we all read and see ad nauseam. Don't ask for the truth on the Internet either. Ask a health question on nearly any major health website and you'll get information from experts that are consultants for the drug companies and the sites themselves are sponsored and censored by the same drug companies. Any mention of cheap, safe, and effective cannabis as medicine is banned as promoting illegal activities. This as pop-up ads tell us that we need Viagra to make a marriage work, Prozac for when times seem dark, and above all that little purple pill.

We are fighting the wrong drug war on the wrong people and we are paying for this terrible mistake through great suffering and loss of life. Intentional and reckless disregard for human life is the very definition of homicide. Why then are we punishing the sick growing medical marijuana while ignoring the real holocaust being perpetrated by supposedly responsible and humanitarian companies? In today's America greed is only rewarded and mass murder ignored.

Doctor J is survived by his wife Nurse Nancy and children Erin & John-Paul. Doctor J father was Big Dave Cavanaugh an American composer, arranger, musician and producer of top artists such as Frank Sinatra, Nat "King" Cole, Peggy Lee, Kay Starr, and Nancy Wilson he won a Grammy in 1959.

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Articles

• "Reckless Disregard". DrugWar.com. 2003-01-21. http://www.drugwar.com/drjayreckless.shtm. Retrieved 2008-03-23. 

• "The Plight of The Chronically Ill". AAMC. 2002. http://www.letfreedomgrow.com/jrcplight.htm. Retrieved 2009-09-02. 

• "The New King George". Christians for Cannabis. 2002-05-15. http://www.christiansforcannabis.com/article1042.html. Retrieved 2008-03-23. ^{[dead link]}

• "The New Salem". DrugWar.org. 2003-02-27. http://www.drugwar.com/cavanaughnewsalem.shtm. Retrieved 2008-03-23. 

Sources

• "OnlinePot.org". Archived from the original on 2007-10-13. http://web.archive.org/web/20071013174141/http://onlinepot.org/mailing_scams/SteveKubbyWolf.htm. Retrieved 2008-03-23. 

• "AAMC Bio - Dr. Jay Cavanaugh". http://www.letfreedomgrow.com/bio/dr_jay_bio.htm. Retrieved 2008-03-23. 

• "Equal Rights for All". http://www.equalrights4all.us/content/view/130/50/. Retrieved 2008-03-23. 

Persondata
Name	Cavanaugh, Jay Robert
Alternative names	Dr. Jay
Short description	Prominent Medical Marijuana Advocate
Date of birth	1949
Place of birth
Date of death	2005
Place of death