David E. Smith
Encyclopedia
David E. Smith is a medical doctor from the United States specializing in addiction medicine
, the psycho-pharmacology of drugs, new research strategies in the management of drug abuse problems, and proper prescribing practices for physicians. He is the Founder of the Haight Ashbury Free Clinics
of San Francisco, a Fellow and Past President of the American Society of Addiction Medicine
, Past President of the California Society of Addiction Medicine
, Past Medical Director for the California State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, Past Medical Director for the California Collaborative Center for Substance Abuse Policy Research, and former adviser to the Betty Ford Center
. Current appointments include Chair of Adolescent Addiction Medicine at the Newport Academy in Southern California and Medical Director for Center Point drug rehabilitation centers. Smith is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of California, San Francisco
.
Dr. Smith is the Founder and Publisher of the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
, which has been published since 1967. Additionally, he is co-author of the textbook "Clinician's Guide to Substance Abuse" (ISBN 978-0071347136) and co-author with Dr. Daniel Amen of the book "Unchain Your Brain" (ISBN 978-1886554382), which provides practical tools for addiction patients and addiction professionals.
as a response to the medical needs of thousands of young people who descended upon San Francisco for the Summer of Love
. The Clinic still operates today in San Francisco and continues to serve those without adequate health insurance.
Smith served as Medical Director of the clinic for 39 years, since its inception. He resigned from the clinic in February 2006 amid legal, medical, and business disputes with the Clinics' administration.
. The first of such benefit concerts took place on July 13, 1967 at the Fillmore Auditorium
in San Francisco, CA. Another, titled "Dr. Sunday's Medicine Show", took place on October 8, 1967 in San Jose
, CA.
These benefit concerts, organized by Smith and Bill Graham in the early years of the Clinic, included bands such as Big Brother and the Holding Company
, Creedence Clearwater Revival
, Ravi Shankar
, George Harrison
, The Charlatans, Blue Cheer
, and Quicksilver Messenger Service
. The concerts proved crucial in providing the funding necessary to keep the Clinic doors open during its early years, as traditional sources of funding were not immediately forthcoming.
in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Smith supported the creation of Rock Medicine. In the spring of 1973, Bill Graham staged two consecutive Saturday concerts at Kezar Stadium
in San Francisco, CA featuring The Grateful Dead and Led Zeppelin
. Bill Graham asked the Clnic to staff a "medical emergency care tent" during both concerts. These small stadium concerts, about 18,000 at the Dead and 25,000 at Led Zeppelin, evolved into Bill Graham's Days on the Green
concert series. The "medical emergency care tent" became Rock Medicine, which is a branch of the Clinic that still exists today and provides medical care at various Bay Area music concerts and events.
Addiction Medicine
Addiction medicine is a medical specialty that deals with the treatment of addiction. The specialty often crosses over into other areas, since various aspects of addiction fall within the fields of public health, psychology, social work, psychiatry, and internal medicine, among others...
, the psycho-pharmacology of drugs, new research strategies in the management of drug abuse problems, and proper prescribing practices for physicians. He is the Founder of the Haight Ashbury Free Clinics
Haight Ashbury Free Clinics
The Haight Ashbury Free Clinics, Inc. is a free health care service provider serving more than 34,000 people in Northern California. The organization was founded by Dr. David E Smith in Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco, California on June 7, 1967 during the counterculture of the 1960s...
of San Francisco, a Fellow and Past President of the American Society of Addiction Medicine
American Society of Addiction Medicine
The American Society of Addiction Medicine is a physician society 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...
, Past President of the California Society of Addiction Medicine
California Society of Addiction Medicine
California Society of Addiction Medicine is the California organization of physicians who specialize in treating addiction. Addiction medicine is the medical specialty that provides care and treatment for people with substance use disorder...
, Past Medical Director for the California State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, Past Medical Director for the California Collaborative Center for Substance Abuse Policy Research, and former adviser to the Betty Ford Center
Betty Ford Center
The Betty Ford Center , is a non-profit, separately licensed residential chemical dependency recovery hospital in Rancho Mirage, California, that offers inpatient, outpatient, and day treatment for alcohol and other drug addictions as well as prevention and education programs for family and children...
. Current appointments include Chair of Adolescent Addiction Medicine at the Newport Academy in Southern California and Medical Director for Center Point drug rehabilitation centers. Smith is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of California, San Francisco
University of California, San Francisco
The University of California, San Francisco is one of the world's leading centers of health sciences research, patient care, and education. UCSF's medical, pharmacy, dentistry, nursing, and graduate schools are among the top health science professional schools in the world...
.
Dr. Smith is the Founder and Publisher of the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
The Journal of Psychoactive Drugs was founded in 1967 by David E Smith, founder of the Haight Ashbury Free Clinic. It is an authoritative peer-reviewed quarterly periodical containing timely information of a multidisciplinary nature for clinicians and other professionals in the drug abuse field as...
, which has been published since 1967. Additionally, he is co-author of the textbook "Clinician's Guide to Substance Abuse" (ISBN 978-0071347136) and co-author with Dr. Daniel Amen of the book "Unchain Your Brain" (ISBN 978-1886554382), which provides practical tools for addiction patients and addiction professionals.
Haight Ashbury Free Clinics
On June 7, 1967, Smith founded and opened the Haight Ashbury Free Medical Clinic in San Francisco, CA on Haight StreetHaight Street
Haight Street, in San Francisco, is perhaps best known as the principal street in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district, also known as Upper Haight. It stretches from Market Street to Stanyan Street, at Golden Gate Park. It is named after California pioneer and exchange banker Henry Haight ....
as a response to the medical needs of thousands of young people who descended upon San Francisco for the Summer of Love
Summer of Love
The Summer of Love was a social phenomenon that occurred during the summer of 1967, when as many as 100,000 people converged on the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco, creating a cultural and political rebellion...
. The Clinic still operates today in San Francisco and continues to serve those without adequate health insurance.
Smith served as Medical Director of the clinic for 39 years, since its inception. He resigned from the clinic in February 2006 amid legal, medical, and business disputes with the Clinics' administration.
Haight Ashbury Free Clinic Benefit Concerts
The Clinic was initially funded through proceeds of benefit concerts, many of which were organized by Bill Graham (promoter)Bill Graham (promoter)
Bill Graham was an American impresario and rock concert promoter from the 1960s until his death.-Early life:...
. The first of such benefit concerts took place on July 13, 1967 at the Fillmore Auditorium
The Fillmore
The Fillmore Auditorium is a historic music venue in San Francisco, California, made famous by Bill Graham. Named for its original location at the intersection of Fillmore Street and Geary Boulevard, it lies on the boundary of the Western Addition and the Pacific Heights neighborhoods.In 1968,...
in San Francisco, CA. Another, titled "Dr. Sunday's Medicine Show", took place on October 8, 1967 in San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
, CA.
These benefit concerts, organized by Smith and Bill Graham in the early years of the Clinic, included bands such as Big Brother and the Holding Company
Big Brother and the Holding Company
Big Brother and the Holding Company is an American rock band that formed in San Francisco in 1965 as part of the same psychedelic music scene that produced the Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service and Jefferson Airplane. They are best known as the band that featured Janis Joplin as their...
, Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival was an American rock band that gained popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s with a number of successful singles drawn from various albums....
, Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar , often referred to by the title Pandit, is an Indian musician and composer who plays the plucked string instrument sitar. He has been described as the best known contemporary Indian musician by Hans Neuhoff in Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart.Shankar was born in Varanasi and spent...
, George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
, The Charlatans, Blue Cheer
Blue Cheer
Blue Cheer was an American psychedelic blues-rock band that initially performed and recorded in the late 1960s and early 1970s and was sporadically active until 2009...
, and Quicksilver Messenger Service
Quicksilver Messenger Service
Quicksilver Messenger Service is an American psychedelic rock band, formed in 1965 in San Francisco.-Introduction:Quicksilver Messenger Service gained wide popularity in the Bay Area and, through their recordings, with psychedelic rock enthusiasts around the globe and several of their albums ranked...
. The concerts proved crucial in providing the funding necessary to keep the Clinic doors open during its early years, as traditional sources of funding were not immediately forthcoming.
Rock Medicine
Through the benefit concerts organized with Bill GrahamBill Graham
William Carvel "Bill" Graham, PC QC is a former Canadian politician, who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of National Defence, and Leader of the Opposition and interim Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.-Personal life:...
in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Smith supported the creation of Rock Medicine. In the spring of 1973, Bill Graham staged two consecutive Saturday concerts at Kezar Stadium
Kezar Stadium
Kezar Stadium is a stadium located adjacent to Kezar Pavilion in the southeastern corner of Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California. It is the former home of the Oakland Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers of the NFL, and of the San Francisco Dragons of MLL. It also served as the home of the...
in San Francisco, CA featuring The Grateful Dead and Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
. Bill Graham asked the Clnic to staff a "medical emergency care tent" during both concerts. These small stadium concerts, about 18,000 at the Dead and 25,000 at Led Zeppelin, evolved into Bill Graham's Days on the Green
Days on the Green
Day On The Green was the name of a concert series in Oakland, California, presented by promoter Bill Graham and his company Bill Graham Presents. Held at the Oakland Coliseum Stadium, these events began in 1973 and continued into the early 1990s. The last Day On The Green overseen by Graham took...
concert series. The "medical emergency care tent" became Rock Medicine, which is a branch of the Clinic that still exists today and provides medical care at various Bay Area music concerts and events.