CRANFORD – A two-hour program on Medical Marijuana: Medicinal and Therapeutic Uses of Cannabis will be offered through the Office of Continuing Education at Union County College on Thursday, September 19. The program will be held at the College’s Cranford Campus at 6 p.m.

The State of New Jersey is now making it easier for patients to access medical marijuana. Are you looking for facts about the effects of cannabis and what conditions it can treat? Join a panel of three health care professionals who will discuss the latest research on how cannabis works; the benefits as well as the side effects and risks of use; and how New Jersey’s Medical Marijuana Program works.

Panelists for this program include Dr. Michelle L. Shuffett, MD, a healthcare executive, strategist, and wellness enthusiast with 20 years of experience encompassing a unique blend of medical practice, communication skills, and leadership. Her expertise lies at the intersection of health and wellness, and she strives to change perspectives on cannabis and to improve the understanding of the industry by bridging the gap between traditional and alternative medicine.

Dr. Monica Taing is a graduate of Northeastern University with a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree where she completed Endocannabinoid Receptor System research. Dr. Taing serves as a Board Member and the Membership Director of Doctors for Cannabis Regulation (DFCR), the Director of Research and Clinical Education for Minorities for Medical Marijuana (M4MM), and as a Medical Science Liaison for 4Front Ventures. She also is a cannabis pharmacist (clinical consultant specialist) for Columbia University’s Northeast/Caribbean AIDS Education Training Center (NEC-AETC), hospital systems, and academic medical institutions.

Dr. Kirten Parekh, DPM is a foot and ankle reconstructive surgeon and limb salvage specialist as well as a consultant and investor in a cannabis startup. Jennifer Cabrera, an attorney with Vicente Sederberg LLP, the nation’s premier law firm serving the cannabis industry, will be facilitating the program.

The program will run from 6 to 8 p.m. at the College’s Cranford campus located at 1033 Springfield Avenue. With a registration fee of $49, all members of the public are invited to enroll online using Instant Enrollment, at www.ucc.edu/continuing-education/instant-enrollment. One can also enroll by calling the Office of Continuing Education at (908) 709-7600 or by visiting the office on the Cranford campus.