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Ben Cort Advocate for Marijuana Policy, Addiction, Prevention, and Recovery
Ben Cort has been part of the recovery movement in almost every way imaginable from a recipient of services to a spokesperson to a respected professional inside of the treatment industry. Sober since 6/15/96 he has seen the devastation that substance abuse can bring first hand as well as the joy that is recovery.
Ben began his career inside of Human Resources and was a Director at an S&P 500 firm by 27. He left that position to help start the Colorado based non-profit Phoenix Multisport, an organization that provides pro-social activities that are primarily athletic in nature to those living sober lives. As an original Board member and the first full-time employee Ben was instrumental in building an organization that still receives frequent national attention for its innovative approach to fighting addiction through sport and the community that surrounds sport.
In May of 2012, he left Phoenix Multisport to join the opposition campaign for Amendment 64, the constitutional amendment that would ultimately allow for the commercialization of marijuana in Colorado. Following that campaign Cort joined the University of Colorado Hospital (UCH) where he ran marketing, business development and admissions for their substance abuse treatment service line known as CeDAR. He left that role in January 2017.
Throughout his time with UCH Ben remained active in the discussion around marijuana, assisting several states in their efforts to hold back Big Marijuana and always advocating for recovery. These efforts kept him close to the national discussion and made him a frequent guest in the media. Ben has earned a reputation as being pro-logic and recovery rather than anti anything.
His direct and honest approach has made him a sought after speaker and respected voice in this national conversation. In a typical year Ben delivers 20+ Keynote addresses and 30+ additional addresses to a wide range of audiences. These audiences include:
- Treatment
- Prevention
- Law Enforcement
- Legislators
- Academia
- Professional Athletics
- Hospitals (Grand Rounds)
- Medical Professionals
- Corporate Events
- Religious Groups
- Students and Families
Ben is qualified to provide CEU’s, CME’s and POST credits. References can be provided inside of each specific area.
In addition to marijuana, Ben is a potent advocate for ethical reform inside of treatment marketing practices. As the Founder of Addiction Treatment Marketers Organization (ATMO), an organization that educates marketers and admissions professionals working in the field with a strong foundation of ethics, Ben has frequent opportunities to discuss solutions to the negative practices that hound the treatment industry.
Ben is a Jr. Fellow at the University of Florida inside of their Drug Policy Institute, board member for NALGAP (National Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Treatment Providers and their Allies), a Board member with SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana) and faculty at numerous institutes.