The American Society of Addiction Medicine is an organization representing medical professionals who specialize in addiction prevention and treatment. The addiction medicine society represents over 6,000 physicians, clinicians, and associated professionals with a focus on addiction and its treatment.
History
ASAM has its roots in research and clinical traditions that pre-date its founding in the early 1950s, when Ruth Fox, M.D. began regular meetings with other physicians interested in alcoholism and its treatment at the New York Academy of Medicine. In 1954 these physicians established the New York City Medical Society on Alcoholism with Dr. Fox as its first President. ASAM was admitted to the American Medical AssociationHouse of Delegates as a voting member in June 1988, and in June 1990 the AMA added addiction medicine to its list of designated specialties. In 1989, to reflect the Society's concern with all drugs of addiction as well as its interest in establishing addiction medicine as part of mainstream medicine, the organization was renamed the American Society of Addiction Medicine.
About
ASAM, founded in 1954, is a professional medical society representing over 6,000 physicians, clinicians and associated professionals in the field of addiction medicine.
Membership
ASAM is the largest leading professional society actively seeking to define and expand the field of addiction medicine. ASAM membership offers the opportunity to develop treatment guidelines and protocol, network with peers and attend courses in the field of addiction medicine.
Medical Education and Conferences
The ASAM Annual Conference - Innovations in Addiction Medicine and Science is a conference on addiction medicine. This event is held annually in April.
Positions
ASAM is critical of the current regulatory state of marijuana, holding that there is no such thing as appropriate medical use of the plant cannabis; in 2010, the society published a white paper calling for federal regulations to oversee research and development of cannabis based medicines and issued recommendations for state medical authorities to "...assure that physicians who choose to discuss the medical use of cannabis and cannabis-based products with patients...dhere to the established professional tenets of prr patient care..."; in 2012 the society stated that there is no "Medical marijuana" because the plant parts in question fails to meet the standard requirements for approved medicines, that Marijuana has many serious, negative health effects.
