Dr. William Pollin (May 13, 1922 - January 25, 2008)[1] was a psychiatrist who served as the second director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and as a staff member of the National Institute of Mental Health. He is best remembered as the person who "declared cigarette smoking was more addictive than alcohol or heroin."[2]
William Pollin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse | |
| In office 1979–1985 | |
| Preceded by | Robert DuPont |
| Succeeded by | Charles R. Schuster |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 13, 1922 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | January 25, 2008 (aged 85) Bethesda, Maryland, U.S. |
| Spouse | Tersea |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Columbia University |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States Navy |
| Branch/service |  United States Merchant Marine |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Early life
editPollin was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and served as a merchant marine during World War II. Following the war, he attended and graduated from the City College of New York before attending Columbia University. He graduated from Columbia's medical school in 1952.[2]
Career
editNIDA Director Nora Volkow summarized Dr. Pollin's contributions to psychiatry and to drug control policy as follows:
At NIMH he contributed to early studies which examined pairs of twins to determine the connection between development of schizophrenia and obstetrical complications and various other neurological abnormalities. At NIDA he was one of the key researchers who changed the medical view of tobacco smoking from an unhealthy habit to a diagnosable drug addiction—after which cigarette makers nicknamed him "Doctor Death" to the tobacco industry. Dr. Pollin emphasized supporting family-oriented drug prevention programs and during this time the rate of cannabis abuse in high school children declined.
Personal life
editPollin married his first wife, Marilyn, in 1951. She died in 1990. He remarried in 1993.
Death
editPollin died of a heart attack at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. He was survived by his wife of 15 years, Teresa Pollin, as well as his two children from his first marriage; his stepson; and seven grandchildren.[2]
References
edit- ^ "William Pollin". Retrieved December 21, 2020.
- ^ a b c Sullivan, Patricia (2008-01-31). "William Pollin, 85; Led Institute on Drug Abuse". Washington Post. Retrieved 2014-03-15.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: Mourning the passing of Dr. William Pollin, National Institute on Drug Abuse
External links
edit- "William Pollin". Microsoft Academic Search. Retrieved 2014-03-15.
- "Why People Smoke Cigarettes", a statement on cigarette smoking developed from testimony delivered before the U.S. Congress by William Pollin, M.D., Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse on March 16, 1982 (DHHS, 1983).