Stephen Dahmer, MD
CCMI Advisory Group Member
Stephen Dahmer, MD is a board-certified family physician whose passion for health and healing has led him across the globe. Currently serving as Director of the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine, Assistant Dean at the College of Medicine-Tucson Wellness, and Division Chief of Integrative Medicine in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, his expertise spans clinical practice and extensive research into the relationships between plants and human health. This journey has involved close collaboration with diverse cultures to document their utilization of plants and integrative therapies.
From 2015 to 2024, he held the role of Chief Medical Officer at Vireo Health, a physician-founded company dedicated to providing superior cannabis-based products and care to over 100,000 patients across five states. He played a pivotal role in establishing a physician-certified, pharmacist-led approach to medical cannabis, including post-market surveillance through a 24/7 adverse event call center, accumulating eight years of valuable data.
In addition to overseeing clinical research affiliations, such as partnerships with Montefiore Medical Center, he supported implementation of a National Institute of Health R01 $3.8MM research grant, studying medical cannabis' impact on opioid use in adults with chronic pain. Currently, he serves as principal investigator for an ongoing trial examining the effects of discounted vouchers for medical cannabis on opioid analgesic use in adults with chronic pain.
His research initiatives extend beyond pain management to address diverse topics such as medical cannabis use in elder populations, cancer treatment, and cannabis pharmacokinetics. Collaborating closely with regulators in multiple states, he ensures compliance with medical cannabis licensing regulations, implements post-market surveillance, and develops harm reduction programs.
Leading efforts in medical cannabis research, regulations, and education, he chaired the US Cannabis Council subcommittee on Medicine and Research and spearheaded the first industry-sponsored CME medical cannabis educational event for healthcare practitioners. Collaborating with reputable institutions from the University of Arizona to the University of Minnesota, he integrates disparate datasets for comprehensive research and outreach, and has delivered over 250 lectures on medical cannabis to prestigious institutions worldwide.
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