Dr. Jeff Khleif

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Photo by Kevin Dudley

Story by Alabama NORML

Pharmacist arrested and charged with a misdemeanor for possession of marijuana and paraphernalia. He used cannabis as a mood stabilizer after devastating loss.

Full Story:

Dr. Jeff Khleif is a pharmacist who grew up in Cookeville, Tennessee. He went to pharmacy school in Atlanta and graduated in 1993 with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. He practiced for many years, especially in hospitals, before branching off into clinical research about 10 years ago. He then started to focus on more holistic and naturopathic medicine and herbal medicine. Jeff has been in Birmingham for about 18 years since 2002 and has a son who is 17 years old. He is currently a medical liaison for a medical device company.

Jeff preferred natural remedies like herbs and the flower/bud of cannabis. He found that it helped him cope with the devastating loss of his other job and was helpful for working through anxiety. However, he was charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana and paraphernalia. The collateral damage of this charge was quite significant, both financially and emotionally. During a time of crisis for his family, it was used as leverage against him in a bitter divorce and custody battle. It prevented him from having employment opportunities due to the need to disclose his conviction on job applications.

In 2002, on the same day that he lost his job and moved to Birmingham, Jeff's son from a previous marriage in Tennessee was murdered in a drug-related incident. If the plant was not illegal, Jeff believes that his son would most likely be alive today.

Jeff is a strong advocate for educating people about the benefits of cannabis and reducing the stigma around it, especially among health professionals. He explains that there are two different plant species: marijuana and industrial hemp. Industrial hemp contains abundant CBD and other non-psychoactive cannabinoids and has very trace amounts of THC. Marijuana, on the other hand, contains large amounts of THC and small amounts of CBD. Jeff has become involved with some founders in the CBD space to help people supplement their endocannabinoid system with non-psychoactive cannabinoids that are essential for human health.

Jeff shifted from a very allopathic treatment model to a more holistic approach. He believes that natural remedies like whole food nutrition and herbal medicine should be the first choice, followed by other treatments as necessary. He explains that our endocannabinoid system is involved in virtually every process in our body to help us achieve health, homeostasis, and balance. Therefore, using cannabis and other plant medicines can help relieve pain and suffering and be a first choice instead of exclusively relying on pharmaceuticals that may have toxic side effects.

Jeff has become an expert on the endocannabinoid system and believes that educating people about it is crucial. He thinks that the cannabis plant is meant to help keep us healthy, and using it can be a positive health benefit to people. There has been an outpouring of support for the use of cannabis as medicine, and Jeff believes that it is an opportunity to blend different ratios of cannabinoids to find what's right for each patient. situation kept him going. His story stands as a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the enduring pursuit of justice.

Jeff's Message to Politicians:

The discovery of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) within our bodies is arguably the most important discovery in human health.  It is essential for maintaining human health and there has been a clinical deficiency syndrome identified that is associated with various common diseases. The cannabis and hemp plants are the most abundant sources of phytocannabinoids, which are necessary to be consumed in order to feed and have a properly functioning ECS, ultimately human health, and to clinically treat various diseases and cancer.   To limit access to and criminalize the possession of marijuana is thus in direct opposition to human health and personal health freedom of choice.

Marijuana, a natural plant, should be completely decriminalized and can be regulated much like tobacco and alcohol, limiting its use to adults unless prescribed by a doctor. 

There is an ever-increasing body of knowledge available on the ECS, and an abundance of research and clinical experience supporting the use of cannabis in human health and to treat various diseases and afflictions. Cannabis should be the first choice, foundational medicine to address various diseases and afflictions,and has the potential to revolutionize the way human health is approached.