About the Author
Ed Gogek, M.D.
Ed Gogek is a psychiatrist with a special interest in substance abuse. In thirty years of practice, he has treated over 10,000 addicts and alcoholics in mental health centers, private practice, jails, prisons, homeless clinics, and many substance abuse treatment programs.
Besides practicing psychiatry, for three years in the mid-1990’s, Dr. Gogek and his journalist brother, Jim, wrote a column on the politics of mental health and addiction. It was carried on the New American News Service, a branch of The New York Times Syndicate. Dr. Gogek’s own op-eds have been printed in the New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, San Francisco Chronicle, Columbus Dispatch and several other U.S. newspapers.
In 2010, he worked with Keep AZ Drug Free, the committee opposing Arizona’s medical marijuana ballot measure. Lastly, in writing Marijuana Debunked, he drew on the experience of his own regular marijuana use for two years of his late teens back in the 1970s.
People often assume Dr. Gogek is politically conservative just because he’s anti-drug, but not at all. He cast his first vote at age eighteen for George McGovern and has voted nearly straight Democratic ever since. In 2006, he ran for state senate as a Democrat.
He voted for Bernie Sanders and loves Bernie’s quote that “democracy is not about billionaires buying elections.” After all, the pro-legalization movement was created and funded by a handful of pro-marijuana billionaires; without their money there wouldn’t be a single legalization or medical marijuana law anywhere in the country. Dr. Gogek believes it’s bad for the country when billionaires control either party, and especially bad when they use their billions to push drug legalization onto the entire nation.
Op-Eds by Ed Gogek
‘Medical’ marijuana a health risk for society. San Francisco Chronicle
Legalize drugs and wait for a bad trip. Baltimore Sun
Alcohol industry gets off lightly. (I don’t just pick on marijuana.)
Nothing funny about comic strip character’s wasted life. Baltimore Sun
A Bad Trip for Democrats New York Times
Medical pot laws harmful, unnecessary Philadelphia Inquirer
Why Bernie Sanders is wrong about legal pot Arizona Republic
Sanders sides with big money — the pot lobby San Francisco Chronicle or here
Why marijuana should remain illegal Merced Sun-Star
Stop misleading on benefits of pot legalization National Post (Canada)
To treat drug addiction, we’ll still need jail time Newsweek
Marijuana and the media TownHall.com
Pot-smoking journalists shouldn’t be writing about marijuana Arizona Capitol Times
Pot taxes aren’t something to count on San Jose Mercury-News
Marijuana industry wants profits, not public good Prescott Courier
Letter: Prop 205 targets kids better than any drug dealer Arizona Republic
Letter: Treatment for drug addiction should never include marijuana Portland Press-Herald
Marijuana is making the opioid epidemic worse Prescott Courier
Radio Interviews
Radio Interview 9-18-15
The Steven Spierer Show Nov 14, 2015
WSIU with Jeff Williams Nov 12, 2015
Jerry Agar Show CFRB Toronto, Ontario Nov 12, 2015
Health Professionals Radio Nov 30, 2015
Interview with Jay Lawrence on KTAR Phoenix Oct 1, 2017
Challenging Opinions Podcast July 2018
News Talk 103.7 with Michele Jansen Chambersburg, PA May 2019
Conference Speaker
The Marijuana/Opioid Connection: Separating myth from fact Marijuana Harmless? Think Again Conference Phoenix, Arizona September 2017
Presentation to Indiana State Legislature Oct 18, 2018
Presentation to the Indiana State LegislatureHouse Public Health, Behavioral Health, and Human Services, Interim Study Committee Oct 18, 2018 from 1:31:49 to 1:56:25. To find video: Click Search for a meeting and click on Thursday Oct 18. My testimony begins at 1:31:49.
3-Hour Course on Marijuana given in Waterloo, Iowa June 10, 2019
