Danielle Smith, PhD

Dr. Danielle Smith is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Behavior at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. She is formally trained in behavioral epidemiology and public health, receiving her PhD in Community Health and Health Behavior from the University at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions in 2021. She also has experience working in select areas of health psychology and pharmacology/toxicology.

Dr. Smith has published nearly 50 papers on topics related to nicotine and cannabis use. Her work has appeared in Lancet Respiratory Medicine, JAMA Network Open, Nicotine and Tobacco Research, Tobacco Control, Thorax, and Cancer, Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.

Positions
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
Assistant Professor of Oncology
Department of Health Behavior
School of Public Health and Health Professions, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
Research Assistant Professor, Community Health and Health Behavior
Background
Education and Training:
2021 - PhD - Community Health and Health Behavior, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
2013 - MPH - Community Health and Health Behaviors, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
Professional Memberships:
2021-present - Canadian Consortium for the Investigation of Cannabinoids (CCIC)
2019-present - International Cannabinoid Research Society (ICRS)
2019-present - Research Society on Marijuana (RSMj)
2015-present - Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT)
Honors & Awards:
2020 - Delta Omega Public Health Honorary Society, Gamma Lambda Chapter, State University of New York at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions
2020 - Outstanding Doctoral Achievement Award, Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, State University of New York at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions
2020 - Canadian Consortium for the Investigation of Cannabinoids (CICC) Trainee Research Spotlight Award
Research
Research Overview:
Dr. Smith’s research focuses on behavioral and policy aspects of cannabis use, and ultimately seeks to address the question, “Under what circumstances can cannabis yield therapeutic benefits, and how might cannabis-related harms be minimized?” Her work addresses this question through studies that examine: 1) overlapping aspects of nicotine and cannabis and their impact on use behaviors and health; 2) contextual factors that contribute to cannabis use behaviors and associated health outcomes (e.g., policy and use contexts); and 3) cannabis use in the context of cancer prevention, care, and symptom management.

Dr. Smith is also interested in new and emerging forms of drug delivery, specifically electronic vaping products and heat-not-burn products used to administer nicotine and cannabis. Her work integrates mixed methods including laboratory, clinical, and observational studies. She is also involved in development and analysis of longitudinal cohort studies of nicotine use, including the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Survey and Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study.

Publications
Smith DM, Goniewicz ML. The role of policy in the EVALI outbreak: solution, or contributor? Lancet Resp Med. Feb 7 2020. pii: S2213-2600(20)30065-5. doi: 10.1016/S2213-2600(20)30065-5.

Smith DM, Miller C, O’Connor RJ, Kozlowski LT, Wadsworth E, Collins RL, Wei B, Goniewicz ML, Hyland AJ, Hammond D. Modes of delivery in concurrent tobacco and cannabis use (co-use) among youth: findings from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Survey. Substance Abuse. 2020; DOI: 10.1080/08897077.2019.1709603

Smith DM, O’Connor RJ, Wei B, Travers MJ, Hyland A, Goniewicz ML. Nicotine and toxicant exposure among concurrent users (co-users) of tobacco and cannabis. Nicotine & Tobacco Research. 2020; ntz122, https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntz122.

Smith DM, Kozlowski L, O’Connor RJ, Hyland A, Collins RL. Reasons for individual and concurrent use of vaped nicotine and cannabis: their similarities, differences and associations with product use. Journal of Cannabis Research. 2021;3(39). https://doi.org/10.1186/s42238-021-00097-7.

Driezen P, Gravely S, Wadsworth E, Smith DM, Loewen R, Hammond D, Li L, McNeill A, Borland R, Cummings KM, Fong GT. Increasing cannabis use is associated with poorer cigarette smoking cessation outcomes: Findings from the ITC Four Country Smoking and Vaping Surveys, 2016-2018. Nicotine and Tobacco Research. Jun 10 2021;ntab122. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntab122.