Dr. Carl Hart

Dr. Carl L. Hart is a neuroscientist and psychologist whose research has influenced perspectives on drugs, addiction, and public policy. Hart serves as chair of the Department of Psychology and holds the Mamie Phipps Clark Professorship in Psychology (in Psychiatry) at Columbia University. He became the university's first African-American tenured professor in the sciences. Hart specializes in neuropsychopharmacology, focusing on the behavioral and neuropharmacological effects of psychoactive drugs in humans, with particular attention to the social and psychological factors influencing drug self-administration.

Hart completed graduate training in experimental psychology and neuroscience at the University of Wyoming, followed by postdoctoral research at the University of California at San Francisco, Yale University, and Columbia. His research examines the interactions between recreational drugs and the neurobiological and environmental factors that shape human behavior and physiology. Hart's studies address cannabinoids, synthetic designer drugs, opioids, and stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamines. Through controlled experiments, he has shown that addiction is not an inevitable result of drug exposure but is influenced by environmental contingencies, individual choice, and the availability of nondrug rewards.

Hart's background growing up in an impoverished Miami neighborhood informs his research interests, particularly regarding how poverty and limited opportunities contribute to drug use and addiction. After high school, he served in the United States Air Force, which led to his pursuit of higher education. His memoir, "High Price," explores his journey from Miami to a tenured position at an Ivy League institution and critically examines U.S. drug policy. The book received the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award.

In "Drug Use for Grown-Ups: Chasing Liberty in the Land of Fear," Hart discusses his personal experiences and analyzes addiction science, advocating for a more evidence-based approach to recreational drug use. He is also co-author of the textbook "Drugs, Society, and Human Behavior." Hart has testified before Congress and in state and federal courts as an expert witness on psychoactive drugs. He serves on the National Advisory Council of Drug Abuse and the board of the Drug Policy Alliance.

Hart has presented at TEDMED and appears in the documentary "The House I Live In." He has been a guest speaker at Talks@Google, The Reason Foundation, and The Nobel Conference, and has been interviewed on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, Fox Business, and The Joe Rogan Experience. Hart's scientific findings challenge common public beliefs about drugs and addiction, contributing to ongoing discussions about drug policy, race, and science.