Maha N. Mian, PhD

Current Research

My research is grounded in the principles of harm reduction, and aims to specifically enhance novel and accessible protective strategies to help people use reduce risks and substances safely. My focus is on cannabis, alcohol, and psychedelic protective behavioral strategies, investigated in collaboration with communities and through quantitative and qualitive methods. I also examine the differential impact of substance use research recruitment and policy, and effects of decriminalization on use behaviors. Through my research, I hope to promote the humanity of substance use and the diverse experiences of those who use substance, and to contribute to the equitable dissemination of safe and accessible substance use interventions.

Fields of Interest

Harm reduction, cannabis & psychedelic use, community-based research practices, psychometric development and validation, drug policy and decriminalization

Education

• PhD, University at Albany, SUNY
• MA, University at Albany, SUNY
• BS, Tufts University
• Clinical Internship: VA Palo Alto
• Postdoctoral Fellowship: University of California, San Francisco & Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, NIDA T32 Substance Use Disorders Treatment and Services Research Fellowship

Selected Publications

• Mian, M.N., Dinh, M., Coker, A.C. & Mitchell, J.M. & Anderson, B.T. (In press). Psychedelic regulation beyond the Controlled Substances Act: A three-dimensional framework for characterizing policy options. The American Journal of Psychiatry.
• Mian, M.N., Altman, B.R., Low, F., & Earleywine, M. (2023). Development of the Protective Strategies for Psychedelics Scale (PSPS): A novel inventory to assess safety strategies in the context of psychedelics. Journal of Psychopharmacology. 38(1), 101-109
• Mian, M.N., Foti, T. R., Green, A., Iturralde, E., Altschuler, A., Does, M. B, Jackson- Morris, M., Adams, S.R., Satre, D.D., Ansley, D., & Young-Wolff, K.C. (2023) Exploring Preferences for Different Modes of Cannabis Use During Early Pregnancy: A Qualitative Study. Addictive Behaviors. 146 (107812).
• Mian, M.N. & Earleywine, M. (2022). Savoring as an intervention for cannabis use: Acceptability, Feasibility, and Preliminary Results. Addiction Research & Theory. 1(4), 296-305.
• Mian, M.N., Vogel, M., Altman, B.R., Ueno, L.F., & Earleywine, M. (2022). Policing Pot: State-level cannabis arrests increase perceived risks and costs but not use. Cannabis. 5(2), 40.
• Mian, M.N., Altman, B.R., Luba, R., Ueno, L.F., Dalal, D. & Earleywine, M. (2021). A Factor Analysis of the Protective Behavioral Strategies for Marijuana Scale Short Form. Addictive Behaviors. 117 (106852).
• Mian, M.N., Altman, B.R., Morrissey, C., Ueno, L.F. & Earleywine, M. (2021). Packing cannabis, pouring alcohol: Validating a Free-Pack Assessment among college students using cannabis. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors. 35(8), 877.
• Mian, M.N., Altman, B.R., & Earleywine, M. (2019). Ayahuasca’s Antidepressant Effects Covary with Behavioral Activation as well as Mindfulness. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 52(2), 130-137.
• Mian, M.N., Altman, B.R., & Earleywine, M. (2019). Who Volunteers for Cannabis Research? Examining potential participation in cannabis research among emerging adults. Cannabis, 2(2), 135-143.

Affiliations

• University of California, San Francisco
• Kaiser Permanente Division of Research