Living With Pot: Medicine & Public Health in an Age of Legalization

On October 17th, Canadians will be able to legally use ‘recreational’ cannabis for the first time since 1923. It’s fair to say our world has changed a lot since then, such that cannabis use in 2018 presents vastly different challenges and opportunities than when it was first legal to indulge. Many have questions about how legalization will play out. How does cannabis work? What potential is there for addiction vs therapeutic uses? Will this be a disaster for public health or, much like prohibition, are we going to look back at the near century-long era of marijuana criminalisation with disdain?

Join us for a lively exploration of the history and biological properties of cannabis, its neurological mechanisms, addictive properties (or lack thereof), and its potential impact on public health and society.

Panelists include:

Tony George – Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto and Chief of Addictions at CAMH. Tony’s research focuses on understanding the biology and treatment of addictions in people with serious mental illness including schizophrenia and mood disorders.

Ruth Ross – Professor at University of Toronto specializing in molecular pharmacology of cannaboids.

David Hammond – Professor and CIHR Applied Public Health Chair at the University of Waterloo. Professor Hammond’s research examines how cannabis, tobacco, and other substances should be regulated to minimize their public health impact.

Moderator: Lesley Campbell – Associate Professor at Ryerson University leading the Plant Evolution and Ecology Lab.