Article by Emma Spears, Growth Op New data released on Monday from a federal wastewater survey suggests that consumption of adult-use drugs increased significantly during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic – and confirms that the opioid crisis is still rampant, particularly in Vancouver. The Canadian Wastewater Survey analyzed wastewater samples for 14 different drugs in Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, ...

Article by David Brown, Stratcann A study released in late 2020 says that phytol, an ingredient used in some cannabis vape pen formulations, causes severe pulmonary injury and even death after inhalation dosing in rats. A new, in-depth report released by Leafly has highlighted the 2020 safety study of phytol, commissioned by Canopy Growth. The report shows phytol has numerous ...

Article by StratCac Reported instances of drug-impaired driving increased significantly in Canada in the year following legalization, but only represent about 8% of all police-reported incidents of impaired driving in 2019. Despite these increases, instances of cannabis-impaired driving may not have risen much at all, says Statistics Canada, who released the report this week. These increases are also likely to ...

Article by Emma Spears, Growth Op A new study has shed light on the origins of cannabis, and and it looks like the Chinese can take credit for being the first to catch on to both the medical and recreational benefits of the plant. Published in Science Advances, the study analyzed genomes from 110 plants worldwide, discovering that cannabis has ...

Article by Sarah Rose, Growth Op A press release on July 13 detailed a ground-breaking grant awarded to Langara College. The grant, which totals $3.3 million, consists of $2 million from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and $1.3 million from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, is the largest grant received by a post-secondary institution in the province. “These grants ...

Article by Angela Stelmakowich, Growth Op A new U.S. study lends credence to the belief that using the whole cannabis plant, rather than individual parts, is a more effective approach to pain relief and that terpenes offer significant promise when it comes to future pain therapies. Researchers determined that using cannabis sativa terpenes on their own “mimic the effects of ...

Article by Sam Riches, Growth Op The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) and its partners have announced the investment of $2 million toward targeted research on the mental health effects of cannabis use among diverse populations in Canada. The joint investment will fund 18 research projects with a focus on subpopulations that are under-represented in current research. Other organizations ...

Article by Kevin Connor, Toronto Sun The stigma of smoking pot is fading, and people are consuming more of the drug, a study shows. Three years after cannabis became legal, more Canadians are smoking than previously thought, according to a study released by Dalhousie University. Conducted in May, the study found 42% of respondents consider themselves cannabis consumers, with roughly ...

Article by Angela Stelmakowich, Growth Op Insomniacs who received nightly sublingual administration of a cannabinoid extract managed to get more and better sleep, suggests a new Australian study. Investigators found that the extract was “well-tolerated and improves insomnia symptoms and sleep quality in individuals with chronic insomnia symptoms,” notes a study abstract, published online this month in Sleep. Participants included ...

Article by Nathan Sager, insauga.com Regular cannabis users cut back their intake after Canada legalized pot three years ago — although not necessarily because the thrill of doing something illicit was gone. Researchers in Hamilton recently published findings from a study of over 1,500 Ontario adults that was conducted over 18 months — the six before Canada legalized cannabis in October ...