KJZZ broadcasts news of the firing of marijuana researcher Dr. Sue Sisley from the University of Arizona. The radio segment shares details about Sisley’s dedicated work to initiate government-approved research into the benefits of marijuana for PTSD, provides context about the controversial political nature of Sisley’s termination, and features an interview with Sisley about her next steps toward conducting clinical research into the effects of medical marijuana.
Originally appearing here.
A University of Arizona professor said she has been fired because of her research on medical marijuana. But U of A has already received a million dollar grant to study the effects of the drug on combat veterans.
Sue Sisley said she was terminated because of what she calls her “political activism” in support of medical marijuana. For the past four years she’s been applying for grants to study how the drug could help war veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
One of the grants received federal approval, but additional funding failed to make it out of the state legislature this year.
Sisley said some U of A administrators didn’t want the university to have any connection with a drug still considered illegal at the federal level.
"I suspect they are trying to actively distance themselves from this work and now they’ve drawn a clear line in the sand by terminating me and they’ve left me with no opportunity for any academic pursuits at the U of A,” Sisley said.
She is filing an appeal in hopes of keeping her job. A U of A spokesman said he can’t comment on her termination and wouldn't say if medical marijuana research will continue at the university.
