Federal Minister of Health Marjorie Michel has announced $24 million to create the Canadian Cannabis and Brain Health Consortium.
Funded through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the group of 10 research teams from across Canada will work together to study how cannabis affects the brain in people of various ages.
The consortium, announced Wednesday, aims to establish scientific evidence about both potential benefits and harms of cannabis, including its effects on epilepsy, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, sleep, mental health and brain development in youth and during pregnancy.
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Dr. Patricia Conrod, scientific director at CIHR’s Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction, says the researchers will also recruit more than 3,000 people of all ages and collect data about brain function, mental health and substance use across the lifespan.
She says that data will be open for other Canadian researchers to use in their own studies about cannabis.
Conrod says Canadian research on cannabis and its health effects geared up after the drug was legalized in 2018, but there are still many gaps in knowledge the researchers will address.
“It’s bringing together Canada’s top brain health and cannabis researchers in order to really bring us to another place in terms of understanding the potential benefits and the potential harms of cannabis use for our population,” she said.
The 10 research team leaders for the consortium are from Université de Sherbrooke, Université de Montréal, McGill University, Dalhousie University, McMaster University, University of Waterloo and the University of Calgary.
Typical of governments make something legal then do the studies to see what the dangers could be on different people.
$24 million to study this! I’ve been using cannabis for 50+ years. It’s not for everybody, it will affect people differently, some shouldn’t use it. Just like alcohol, processed food, opiates etc. Some common sense and responsibility for one’s self is needed. It is a plant that has been around longer than any of us and I am sure it has been studied extensively. I’m tired of hearing about expensive studies being done to supply some researcher with a job.
I bet they won’t have any old hippies in your study just ashole snowflkaes that have been smoking for 10 years or less
Avid smoker your full of sht.I have been smoking it for 55 years with no side effects, and no people who have been smoking it for 60 years. Mainly because we have never drunk alcohol in our lives
The only effects on the brain are the stupid FKs that read the fear-mongering news
Should have done studies before Jokestunned Trujoke made it legal.
Good, I don’t think people are going to be pleased with the results but we need more substantial data analysis for weed. I have been smoking for 10+ years and I have definitely suffered side effects that were not taught to me, specifically long term effects of use.
The legalization has make weed safe to consume, but the dangers of repeated use over long periods have not been studied sufficiently. I wouldn’t be surprised if this results in some rude awakenings for some.
Smoke responsibly, and please wait until at least 20 (ideally 25, trust me)!
The long term damage is real!