Article content continued

In January, MP Bill Blair announced that the federal government will devote $1.4 million to marijuana studies, and the funds will be divided among 14 different research projects ($100,000 for each) in hospitals and universities across the country.

Not a moment too soon, says Dr. Holland. “Having federal funding is fantastic—it’s an important investment and a step in the right direction.” Here’s a look at five studies researchers hope will give us some answers about some of the biggest gaps in our cannabis knowledge to date.

Are young people more at risk?

Two new studies from researchers at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia and the University of Victoria tracked young cannabis users for 10 years and the results are troubling: those who started using the drug early and continued to use it are less healthy and less successful than their peers.

Just how big a problem is it? Pretty big, considering Canadian youth use more marijuana than any other demographic in the developed world. (According to Statistics Canada, nearly one-third of young Canadians use cannabis, with the highest use recorded in those between the ages of 15 and 24.) Zach Walsh, a clinical psychologist and cannabis researcher at the University of British Columbia (UBC), is determined to find out why.

Thanks to the new funding initiative, he’s launching a long-term study to determine the impact of cannabis legalization on campus health at UBC. In the study, researchers will follow 500 students to gain a better understanding of their beliefs, attitudes, and assumptions about marijuana use.

How does cannabis affect different communities?

This spring, the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples recommended that Bill C-45, the Cannabis Act, be delayed so that First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities could be properly consulted and also have time to prepare their communities for legalization. One issue raised was the need to establish culturally specific education materials, as well as appropriate mental health and addictions services.