GREAT BAY--International medical cannabis physician and policy advisor Dr. Joseph Rosado will be among the featured speakers at the “Building the Future of Cannabis Regulation” public forum on Friday, August 14, where he will address how St. Maarten can develop a medical cannabis framework centered on public health, patient safety and responsible clinical oversight.
Rosado’s presentation, “Medical Cannabis and Public Health: Building a Responsible Framework for St. Maarten,” will examine how the country can approach medical cannabis from a public health and patient-care perspective while learning from the experiences of other jurisdictions.
The presentation will address physician education, the integration of pharmacies and healthcare professionals into a regulated system, patient safeguards, youth protection, product quality and the importance of collecting reliable data as a cannabis framework develops.
Rosado is also expected to outline practical steps that can be considered in establishing a system that protects patients while providing appropriate clinical and regulatory oversight.
The presentation will form part of the Building the Future of Cannabis Regulation forum hosted by the Cannabis Legislative Inter-Ministerial Work Group at the University of St. Martin on Friday, August 14, from 6:00pm to 10:00pm.
The public event will bring together representatives from government, healthcare, academia, business and the community to examine evidence-based approaches to cannabis regulation, with discussions centered on policy, public health, science and economic development.
Admission is free and the public is invited to attend. Seating is limited and participants are encouraged to register in advance at www.workgroupsxm.com.
Rosado brings more than 40 years of experience across five healthcare disciplines. He is a physician, healthcare executive, author, educator and medical cannabis policy advisor, and serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Joseph Rosado, MD, LLC and Rosado Advisory.
Through his work, he advises healthcare professionals, organizations and policymakers on medical cannabis, public health, clinical governance, patient safety and responsible regulatory development.
Rosado has cared for thousands of medical cannabis patients and brings experience spanning primary care, medical cannabis medicine, emergency medical services, chiropractic care and frontline patient care. His work has focused on evidence-informed clinical practice, physician education, product quality, equitable patient access and youth protection.
A central component of his approach is ensuring that healthcare professionals have a meaningful role within cannabis regulatory systems, particularly where cannabis is being developed for medical use.
Rosado is a participating member of ASTM International’s Committee D37 on Cannabis and Hemp and also contributes to cannabis policy and clinical discussions through the National Cannabis Chamber of Commerce and its Scientific and Clinical Council.
His appearance on Friday also follows his involvement in St. Maarten’s ongoing cannabis discussion earlier this year.
In April 2026, Rosado appeared as a medical expert witness before the Permanent Committee of Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Husbandry of the Parliament of St. Maarten, where he presented his Five-Pillar Clinical Framework for responsible cannabis regulation.
His return to the discussion through Friday’s public forum will allow residents, healthcare professionals and other stakeholders to hear in greater detail how medical cannabis policy can be developed with patient care and public health considerations incorporated from the outset.
Rosado is also the author of “Hope & Healing: The Case for Cannabis” and has published 15 works, including English and Spanish editions.
His areas of expertise include medical cannabis policy and regulation, mental and behavioral health, chronic pain management, palliative care, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and international cannabis market development.
Other featured speakers at Friday’s forum include cannabis researcher and advocate Ras Iroy, senior lecturer and researcher Dr. Machel A. Emanuel and legal and policy expert Leandra Leslie-Cijntje.
The forum is intended to support the continued development of St. Maarten’s cannabis legislative framework by creating space for evidence, education, public health considerations and regulatory discussion.
Event details: Building the Future of Cannabis Regulation, Friday, August 14, 2026, from 6:00pm to 10:00pm at the University of St. Martin. Admission is free, everyone is welcome and seating is limited. Registration is available at www.workgroupsxm.com.
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