Michele Ross

Last updated
Michele Ross
Dr. Michele Ross - Ocannabiz Conference Speaker - Vitamin Weed Author.jpg
Ross in 2018
Born
Michele Ann Osztrogonacz

(1982-06-16) June 16, 1982 (age 41)
Perth Amboy, New Jersey, U.S.
NationalityAmerican/Hungarian
Other namesMichele Ann Noonan
Education Boston College (BA)
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas (PhD)
Occupation(s)Author, media personality, neuroscientist
Years active2008–present
Website drmicheleross.com

Michele Noonan Ross (born June 16, 1982), also known as Michele Ann Noonan, Michele Osztrogonacz, and Michele Osztrogonacz Ross, [1] [2] is an American neuroscientist, [3] author, [4] and media personality. [5] She is a noted drug policy reform activist, [6] [7] promoting cannabis, magic mushroom, and kratom legalization.

Contents

Early life

Ross was born on June 16, 1982, in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and grew up in nearby Iselin where she attended John F. Kennedy Memorial High School. Ross was the first member of her family to attend college and went to Boston College, where she studied psychology and was in the class of 2004. [2] In 2008, she graduated from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas with a Ph.D. in neuroscience.

Media appearances

Ross was the first scientist to participate in the American version of Big Brother, [8] appearing in the eleventh season of the reality television series Big Brother in 2009, where she finished in fourth place. [9] She claimed housemate and future Big Brother All Stars 2 contestant Kevin Campbell tried to poison her on the show. [10] [11] She and Lydia Tavera were the first bisexual women to compete on the series, and Ross came out of the closet on the show. [12] Ross was an advocate of LGBTQ rights and was featured in as part of the Big Brother Cares NOH8 Campaign. [13] In 2010 Ross appeared on the "Reality Gone Wild" episode of Playboy TV's Foursome . [14] Ross won her episode of the dating competition reality show Baggage hosted by Jerry Springer in 2010. In 2013, she won her episode of the dating competition reality show Excused .

In 2015 she was noted by The Chicago Tribune as an expert on cannabis for the platform Cannabis Club TV streaming to cannabis dispensaries. [15]

Career

Neuroscientist

Ross studied how drugs, including cannabis [16] and cocaine, [17] [18] impacted the birth of new brain cells, a process called neurogenesis, and what role these newborn cells had in drug addiction. [19] In October 2017, Marijuana Venture magazine featured Ross as one of their "Women To Watch" and highlighted her work as a cannabis scientist. [20] In 2019, Ross was a featured speaker along with former NFL player and Celebrity Big Brother star Ricky Williams at SXSW on a panel called Cannabis and Wellness: The Body and Beyond. [21]

Writing

In 2012, Ross co-authored a book about the neuroscience of weight loss called Train Your Brain To Get Thin which was chosen by the Today show as one of the top diet books of the year. [22] In 2018 Ross published Vitamin Weed, the first guide for doctors and patients to understanding diseases of endocannabinoid deficiency and why cannabis treats them. [23] In 2019 Ross published a column called Chronically Cannabis for chronic illness network The Mighty. [24] CBD Oil For Health was published in 2020, featuring 100 different ways to use CBD oil including medical purposes, beauty recipes, and in food. In 2021 Ross published her fourth book Kratom Is Medicine, the first guide for both doctors and patients on the medical use of kratom.

Entrepreneur

Ross received her Executive MBA from the Quantic School of Business and Technology in 2018. She has created several companies, including Infused Health, a platform for cannabis coaching and education, [25] and AURA Therapeutics, the first kratom company focused on women's health. [26] [27] Ross has served as a medical advisor to numerous companies in the cannabis and wellness space. [28]

Advocacy

Cannabis

Ross is considered one of the top ten influential people in cannabis. [29] [30] [31] [32] Ross founded the Endocannabinoid Deficiency Foundation in Los Angeles, California, which later changed to the name IMPACT Network in 2016 after moving to Denver, Colorado. IMPACT Network, a 501c3 nonprofit which stands for Improving Marijuana Policy and Accelerating Cannabis Therapeutics for women worldwide, [33] received grant funding from multiple sources including Drug Policy Alliance. [34] Ross is now a Professor at the Institute of Plant-Assisted Therapy and the Holistic Cannabis Academy. [35]

Psychedelics

Ross is known as being one of the earliest scientists to advocate for psychedelic medicine. [36] She gave an interview in 2014 to Emmy-winning journalist Amber Lyon of Reset.Me about DMT, [37] [38] which garnered over three million views on Youtube. [39] She was a co-founder of Decriminalize Denver, [40] which successfully decriminalized magic mushrooms in the first city in the United States in 2018.

Personal life

Ross currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. Shortly before appearing on Big Brother her brother John Osztrogonacz died. [41] Besides having fibromyalgia and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), [42] she has struggled with severe pelvic pain and was once put in a psychiatric hold because of it. [43] Ross says without cannabis, she would have killed herself from pain and depression. [44]

Selected publications

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Recreational drug use</span> Use of drugs with the primary intention to alter the state of consciousness

Recreational drug use is the use of one or more psychoactive drugs to induce an altered state of consciousness, either for pleasure or for some other casual purpose or pastime. When a psychoactive drug enters the user's body, it induces an intoxicating effect. Generally, recreational drugs are divided into three categories: depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Effects of cannabis</span> Effects resulting from the use of cannabis

The effects of cannabis are caused by chemical compounds in the cannabis plant, including 113 different cannabinoids such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and 120 terpenes, which allow its drug to have various psychological and physiological effects on the human body. Different plants of the genus Cannabis contain different and often unpredictable concentrations of THC and other cannabinoids and hundreds of other molecules that have a pharmacological effect, so the final net effect cannot reliably be foreseen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medical cannabis</span> Marijuana used medicinally

Medical cannabis, or medical marijuana (MMJ), is cannabis and cannabinoids that are prescribed by physicians for their patients. The use of cannabis as medicine has not been rigorously tested due to production and governmental restrictions, resulting in limited clinical research to define the safety and efficacy of using cannabis to treat diseases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cannabinoid</span> Compounds found in cannabis

Cannabinoids are several structural classes of compounds found in the cannabis plant primarily and most animal organisms or as synthetic compounds. The most notable cannabinoid is the phytocannabinoid tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (delta-9-THC), the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis. Cannabidiol (CBD) is also a major constituent of temperate cannabis plants and a minor constituent in tropical varieties. At least 113 distinct phytocannabinoids have been isolated from cannabis, although only four have been demonstrated to have a biogenetic origin. It was reported in 2020 that phytocannabinoids can be found in other plants such as rhododendron, licorice and liverwort, and earlier in Echinacea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cannabinol</span> Naturally-occurring cannabinoid

Cannabinol (CBN) is a mildly psychoactive cannabinoid that acts as a low affinity partial agonist at both CB1 and CB2 receptors. This activity at CB1 and CB2 receptors constitutes interaction of CBN with the endocannabinoid system (ECS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cannabidiol</span> Phytocannabinoid discovered in 1940

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a phytocannabinoid discovered in 1940. It is one of 113 identified cannabinoids in cannabis plants, along with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and accounts for up to 40% of the plant's extract. As of 2019, clinical research on CBD included studies related to anxiety, cognition, movement disorders, and pain, but there is insufficient high-quality evidence that cannabidiol is effective for these conditions. Nevertheless, CBD is a herbal dietary supplement promoted with unproven claims of particular therapeutic effects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cannabis (drug)</span> Psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant

Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various traditional medicines for centuries. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main psychoactive component of cannabis, which is one of the 483 known compounds in the plant, including at least 65 other cannabinoids, such as cannabidiol (CBD). Cannabis can be used by smoking, vaporizing, within food, or as an extract.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nabilone</span> Synthetic cannabinoid

Nabilone, sold under the brand name Cesamet among others, is a synthetic cannabinoid with therapeutic use as an antiemetic and as an adjunct analgesic for neuropathic pain. It mimics tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive compound found naturally occurring in Cannabis.

A drug with psychotomimetic actions mimics the symptoms of psychosis, including delusions and/or delirium, as opposed to only hallucinations. Psychotomimesis is the onset of psychotic symptoms following the administration of such a drug.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ross Rebagliati</span> Canadian snowboarder

Ross Rebagliati is a Canadian snowboarder who won a gold medal in the men's giant slalom event at the 1998 Winter Olympics. The International Olympic Committee initially stripped him of the medal due to a failed drug test for cannabis use, but was overruled by an appeals court two days later, resulting in the medal being restored. Since retiring from snowboarding, Rebagliati has become an entrepreneur in the cannabis industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medical cannabis in the United States</span> Use of cannabis for medical purposes in the United States

In the United States, the use of cannabis for medical purposes is legal in 38 states, four out of five permanently inhabited U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia, as of March 2023. Ten other states have more restrictive laws limiting THC content, for the purpose of allowing access to products that are rich in cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive component of cannabis. There is significant variation in medical cannabis laws from state to state, including how it is produced and distributed, how it can be consumed, and what medical conditions it can be used for.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dronabinol</span> Generic name of Δ9-THC in medicine

The International Nonproprietary Name dronabinol, also known under the trade names Marinol, Syndros, Reduvo and Adversa, is a generic name for the molecule of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in the pharmaceutical context. It has indications as an appetite stimulant, antiemetic, and sleep apnea reliever and is approved by the FDA as safe and effective for HIV/AIDS-induced anorexia and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting only.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cannabis drug testing</span> Drug test methodologies for the use of cannabis

Cannabis drug testing describes various drug test methodologies for the use of cannabis in medicine, sport, and law. Cannabis use is highly detectable and can be detected by urinalysis, hair analysis, as well as saliva tests for days or weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlotte's Web (cannabis)</span> Strain of medical marijuana

Charlotte's Web is a brand of high-cannabidiol (CBD), low-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) products derived from industrial hemp and marketed as dietary supplements and cosmetics under federal law of the United States. It is produced by Charlotte's Web, Inc. in Colorado. Hemp-derived products do not induce the psychoactive "high" typically associated with recreational marijuana strains that are high in THC. Charlotte's Web hemp-derived products contain less than 0.3% THC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yasmin Hurd</span> American neuroscientist

Yasmin Hurd is the Ward-Coleman Chair of Translational Neuroscience and the Director of the Addiction Institute at Mount Sinai. Hurd holds appointments as faculty of Neuroscience, Psychiatry, Pharmacology and Systems Therapeutics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City and is globally recognized for her translational research on the underlying neurobiology of substance use disorders and comorbid psychiatric disorders. Hurd's research on the transgenerational effects of early cannabis exposure on the developing brain and behavior and on the therapeutic properties of cannabidiol has garnered substantial media attention. In 2017, Dr. Hurd was elected to the National Academy of Medicine and, in 2022, Dr. Hurd was elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cannabis in Kansas</span> Legality, use and culture of cannabis in the U.S. state of Kansas

Cannabis in Kansas is fully illegal, and possession of even small amounts is a misdemeanor crime. Cannabis is only legal in Kansas in the form of THC free cannabidiol oil, also known as CBD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cannabis in Slovakia</span> Use of cannabis in Slovakia

Cannabis in Slovakia is illegal for all purposes and possession of even small amounts of the drug can lead to lengthy prison terms. Possession or use of small amounts of cannabis is punishable by up to eight years in prison. In April 2012, The Wall Street Journal reported that Robert Fico, the incoming Slovak prime minister, might push for partial legalisation of cannabis possession, and has argued for the legalisation of possession of up to three doses of cannabis for personal use.

Medical cannabis research includes any medical research on using cannabis. Different countries conduct and respond to medical cannabis research in different ways.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cannabis and sports</span> Legality and use of cannabis in sports

The use of cannabis by athletes has been banned by many sports commissions. However, some have relaxed their policies as societal attitudes towards its use have shifted. The prohibition "is one of the most controversial issues in anti-doping".

References

  1. ↑ Weiskopf, Alexandra (June 1, 2020), "Class notes - Class of 2004", Boston College Magazine, p. 67, Michele Osztrogonacz Ross is now the wellness director at mommy complex, a CBD line for moms
  2. 1 2 Weiskopf, Alexandra (September 29, 2011), "Class notes - Class of 2004", Boston College Magazine, p. 23, Michele (Osztrogonacz) Noonan is a neuroscientist, author and TV and radio personality.
  3. ↑ Lyon, Amber. "Why Dr. Michele Ross Went From Anti-drug Researcher To Marijuana & Psychedelics Advocate". Reset.Me.
  4. ↑ Elyachar, Jacob (August 31, 2020). "'Big Brother' alum & author Dr. Michele Ross". Jake’s Take Podcast.
  5. ↑ Nadolny, Marisa. "Reality TV Star Michele Noonan Raises Science To An Art From". Byron Academy.
  6. ↑ Capps, Reilly (January 30, 2018). "Former 'Big Brother' contestant turns to drugs, but in a good way". Rooster.
  7. ↑ Sequoia, Strawberry (16 August 2019). "Ask a Neuroscientist! Cannabis for Pregnancy, PTSD, Arthritis, and Beyond". Mary Jane Experience. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  8. ↑ Hartman, Ben (14 April 2021). "'I feel almost the same as before I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia'". Cannigma.
  9. ↑ Rice, Lynette (September 9, 2009). "'Big Brother 11's' Michele Noonan: awkward, yes. Villainous, no". Entertainment Weekly.
  10. ↑ Sim, Bernardo (September 1, 2020). "Big Brother 22: Michele Ross Accuses Kevin Campbell Of Poisoning Her On BB11". ScreenRant.
  11. ↑ Scoop, Sarah. ""Big Brother" Star Michele Ross Was Fearful for Her Life in the House". The Sarah Scoop Show.
  12. ↑ "'Big Brother' Girls Stay Connected - at the Mouth". TMZ. January 12, 2010.
  13. ↑ "Big Brother Cares". NOH8 Campaign.
  14. ↑ Dehnart, Andy (August 31, 2010). "Big Brother 11's Michele is on Playboy's sex-on-TV reality show Foursome". Reality Blurred.
  15. ↑ Glionna, John M. (October 14, 2015). "News pot users could use: Duo works on TV platform for marijuana ads". The Chicago Tribune . p. 4. Features – Interviews with experts like self-professed "pot Dr." Michele Ross...
  16. ↑ Noonan, Michele A.; Eisch, Amelia J. (September 1, 2006). "Regulation of adult neurogenesis by cannabinoids". Chem Today. 24: 84–88. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-07-08.
  17. ↑ Noonan, Michele A.; Bulin, Sarah E.; Fuller, Dwain C.; Eisch, Amelia J. (January 6, 2010). "Reduction of adult hippocampal neurogenesis confers vulnerability in an animal model of cocaine addiction". Journal of Neuroscience. 30 (1): 304–315. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4256-09.2010. PMC   2844797 . PMID   20053911.
  18. ↑ Noonan, Michele A.; Choi, Kwang H.; Self, David. W; Eisch, Amelia J. (March 5, 2008). "Withdrawal from Cocaine Self-Administration Normalizes Deficits in Proliferation and Enhances Maturity of Adult Generated Hippocampal Neurons" (PDF). Journal of Neuroscience. 28 (10): 2516–2526. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4661-07.2008. PMC   6671196 . PMID   18322096.
  19. ↑ Noonan, Michele Ann (January 14, 2009). The Role of Adult Neurogenesis in Cocaine Addiction (PDF). UT Southwestern Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.
  20. ↑ Rudolph, Garrett (October 14, 2017). "Women To Watch: The Scientist". Marijuana Venture.
  21. ↑ Ramos, Dino-Ray (November 27, 2018). "SXSW Sets Jessica Brillhart As Film Keynote; Adds Elisabeth Moss, Trevor Noah, And More As Featured Speakers". Deadline.
  22. ↑ Fernstrom, Madelyn (January 18, 2013). "Science-y or emotional eater? Find the right diet book for you". Today Show.
  23. ↑ Velez, Samantha (8 September 2020). "The 4 Must-Read Cannabis Books of 2020". Veriheal.
  24. ↑ Ross, Michele (April 30, 2019). "Chronically Cannabis With Dr. Michele Ross: How Do I Try Cannabis If It's Not Legal?". The Mighty.
  25. ↑ "Dr. Michele Ross Talks Cannabis for a Healthy, Full Life". 3Leaf. November 22, 2019.
  26. ↑ Swift, Alice (16 February 2022). "A Doctor's Plant-Based Toolbox: Treating Chronic Pain with Cannabis and Kratom". Global Cannabis Intelligence. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  27. ↑ Schwind, Wayne (December 17, 2020). "CBD, Kratom, and the Science of Plant Medicine". Periodic Effects.
  28. ↑ Weed, Julie (August 30, 2018). "Cannabis Entrepreneurs Ask For More 'Science'". Forbes.
  29. ↑ "10 most popular Cannabis Influencers you should check out". Cannabis Edibles Expo.
  30. ↑ Maganis, Jeffrey (29 November 2018). "Top 10 Cannabis Influencers". Crowdcreate.
  31. ↑ Braslavskaia, Lana (16 August 2021). "Top 10 Cannabis Influencers". Ask Growers.
  32. ↑ "6 Cannabis Influencers Producing Killer Content Right Now". Blunt. 23 October 2020.
  33. ↑ "IMPACT Network: Improving Marijuana Policy and Accelerating Cannabinoid Therapeutics". Guidestar.
  34. ↑ Simmons, Kate McKee (October 4, 2016). "IMPACT Nets $10,000 Grant for Marijuana Research From the Drug Policy Alliance". Westword.
  35. ↑ "The Holistic Cannabis Faculty: Holistic-Minded Health Practitioners". Holistic Cannabis Academy. 6 April 2019.
  36. ↑ "Psychedelic Drug Researcher Dr. Michele Ross". Profoundly Pointless. March 4, 2020.
  37. ↑ Tom Blackwell (April 3, 2018). "If you ingested DMT, crossed into another world and saw 'machine elves,' please take this survey". National Post . Toronto.
  38. ↑ Reilly Capps (January 30, 2018), "Former 'Big Brother' contestant turns to drugs, but in a good way", Rooster Magazine
  39. ↑ Lyon, Amber. "Neuroscientist Describes Her DMT Trip". Youtube. Reset.Me.
  40. ↑ Awad, Ann Marie (March 5, 2018). "Denver May Get To Vote On Whether To Make Magic Mushrooms Legal". Colorado Public Radio.
  41. ↑ "Connecticut news – Hartford". Hartford Courant . Hartford, Connecticut. April 23, 2009. p. A11. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021.
  42. ↑ "Advocating for Patients Through Stories of CBD Healing: An Exclusive Interview with Dr. Michele Ross". Hempzilla. July 29, 2021.
  43. ↑ "'BIG BROTHER' STAR MICHELE ROSS Kaiser Ignored My Pain PLACED ME ON PSYCH HOLD". TMZ. March 18, 2014.
  44. ↑ "Neuroscientist Dr. Michele Ross Says Without Cannabis She Would Have Killed Herself". Cannabis Health Radio. May 5, 2017.
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