VANCOUVER, Nov. 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - Dr. M-J
Milloy, the Canopy Growth Professor of Cannabis Science at the
University of British Columbia ("UBC")
is proud to bring together patients and other people with lived and
living experience with researchers, clinicians, and policymakers
for the inaugural Cannabis Science Symposium with the goal of
establishing a research agenda for cannabis and harm reduction
during the overdose crisis.
The one-day public research symposium is organized by the BC
Centre on Substance Use ("BCCSU") and UBC with support from
Spectrum Therapeutics, the medical division of Canopy Growth
Corporation (TSX: WEED), (NYSE: CGC).
In the midst of an ongoing overdose crisis impacting communities
across Canada and the United States, new measures are needed to
prevent overdose-related morbidity and mortality, especially among
people living with substance use disorders and common
comorbidities, such as chronic pain. A growing wealth of
preliminary evidence suggests cannabis might be a beneficial harm
reduction-based intervention. This research symposium will gather
expertise to discuss the latest evidence, reflect on the current
responses to the overdose crisis, and establish next steps to
advance knowledge, policy and practice around cannabis for harm
reduction.
"The therapeutic benefits of cannabis are only just beginning to
be understood. Early research has shown that it could have a
stabilizing impact for people with opioid use disorder, improving
their quality of life and offering a pathway to long-term treatment
solutions," says Dr. Milloy, who is also a research scientist at
BCCSU. "We have a scientific imperative to build upon this research
and ensure that research is guided by the experiences of those
living and responding to the overdose crisis."
"This first Cannabis Science Symposium provides an important
forum for researchers, healthcare professionals, community
stakeholders and those with lived experience to exchange knowledge,
ideas and first-hand experience on the potential of cannabis in
addressing the overdose crisis," commented Dr. Mark Ware, Chief Medical Officer, Canopy Growth.
"Solutions are still desperately needed and we're committed to
doing our part to help affected individuals, families and
communities."
The Canopy Growth Professorship of Cannabis Science was
established via a $2.5 million
donation from Canopy Growth to UBC and the BCCSU to fund clinical
research aimed at defining the potential benefits of cannabis as a
legitimate therapeutic treatment for opioid use disorder. Upon the
announcement of Dr. Milloy as the first Canopy Growth Professor of
Cannabis Science, he along with his team performed a comprehensive
review of existing studies examining the role of cannabis in
addressing opioid use disorder to help inform the direction of the
clinical trials to be conducted as part of the Professorship.
In their most recent study, where researchers from the BCCSU and
UBC interviewed more than 1,100 people at highest risk of opioid
overdose in Vancouver between 2014
and 2017, it was found that people who used cannabis at least daily
had nearly 50 per cent lower odds of using illicit opioids at least
daily compared to cannabis non-users.1 Through their
research to date, the BCCSU has demonstrated that the evidence,
which continues to accumulate, supports further evaluation of the
therapeutic benefits of cannabis for opioid use disorder.
2019 Cannabis Science Symposium
"Cannabis and harm
reduction: What we know and what we need to
learn"
Monday, November 25,
8:30AM - 1:30PM (Pacific
Time)
UBC Robson Square - 800 Robson St
The symposium is sold out, however the event will be broadcasted
via webinar. Those interested can register here.
1. Lake, Stephanie,
et al. "Frequency of Cannabis and Illicit Opioid Use among People
Who Use Drugs and Report Chronic Pain: A Longitudinal Analysis."
PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science,
https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1002967.
|
About BC Centre on Substance Use
The BC Centre on
Substance Use (BCCSU) is a provincially networked organization with
a mandate to develop, help implement, and evaluate evidence-based
approaches to substance use and addiction. BCCSU seeks to improve
the integration of best practices and care across the continuum of
substance use through the collaborative development of
evidence-based policies, guidelines, and standards. With the
support of the Province of BC, BCCSU aims to transform substance
use policies and care by translating research into education and
care guidance, thereby serving all British Columbians.
About Spectrum Therapeutics
Spectrum Therapeutics, the
medical division of Canopy Growth Corporation (TSX: WEED, NYSE:
CGC), is dedicated to educating healthcare practitioners,
furthering the public's understanding of medical cannabis and its
various applications, and cutting edge, commercializable research
and IP development. Founded in Canada, Spectrum Therapeutics operates in
Australia, South America, Africa and across Europe. Its products are available in a wide
range of potencies and formats designed to simplify the dialogue
around strength and dosage by applying a colour-coded spectrum to
categorize medical cannabis according to THC and CBD levels.
Spectrum Therapeutics' offerings include whole flower cannabis,
oils and new innovations such as Softgels in addition to single
cannabinoid medicine Dronabinol under the brand Bionorica Ethics.
Through product simplification, robust clinical research and
ongoing education of healthcare professionals, Spectrum
Therapeutics is committed to addressing the unmet medical needs of
patients around the globe.
About Canopy Growth
Canopy Growth (TSX:WEED, NYSE:CGC)
is a world-leading diversified cannabis, hemp and cannabis device
company, offering distinct brands and curated cannabis varieties in
dried, oil and Softgel capsule forms, as well as medical devices
through Canopy Growth's subsidiary, Storz & Bickel GMbH &
Co. KG. From product and process innovation to market execution,
Canopy Growth is driven by a passion for leadership and a
commitment to building a world-class cannabis company one product,
site and country at a time. Canopy Growth has operations in over a
dozen countries across five continents.
Canopy Growth's medical division, Spectrum Therapeutics is
proudly dedicated to educating healthcare practitioners, conducting
robust clinical research, and furthering the public's understanding
of cannabis, and has devoted millions of dollars toward cutting
edge, commercializable research and IP development. Spectrum
Therapeutics sells a range of full-spectrum products using its
colour-coded classification Spectrum system as well as single
cannabinoid Dronabinol under the brand Bionorica Ethics.
Canopy Growth operates retail stores across Canada under its award-winning Tweed and Tokyo
Smoke banners. Tweed is a globally recognized cannabis brand which
has built a large and loyal following by focusing on quality
products and meaningful customer relationships. From our historic
public listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange and New York Stock
Exchange to our continued international expansion, pride in
advancing shareholder value through leadership is engrained in all
we do at Canopy Growth. Canopy Growth has established partnerships
with leading sector names including cannabis icons Snoop Dogg and
Seth Rogen, breeding legends DNA
Genetics and Green House Seeds, and Fortune 500 alcohol leader
Constellation Brands, to name but a few. Canopy Growth operates
eleven licensed cannabis production sites with over 10.5 million
square feet of production capacity, including over one million
square feet of GMP certified production space. For more information
visit www.canopygrowth.com
Notice Regarding Forward Looking Statements
This news
release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of
the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable
Canadian securities legislation. Often, but not always,
forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the
use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is
expected", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not
anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases
or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could",
"would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved.
Forward-looking statements or information involve known and unknown
risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual
results, performance or achievements of Canopy Growth or its
subsidiaries to be materially different from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by the
forward-looking statements or information contained in this news
release. Examples of such statements include establish next steps
to advance knowledge, policy and practice around cannabis for harm
reduction. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with
forward-looking information could cause actual events, results,
performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from
those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information,
including research direction, and such risks contained in the
Company's annual information form dated June
27, 2018 and filed with Canadian securities regulators
available on the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR at
www.sedar.com. Although the Company believes that the assumptions
and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information or
forward-looking statements in this news release are reasonable,
undue reliance should not be placed on such information and no
assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed
time frames or at all. The forward-looking information and
forward-looking statements included in this news release are made
as of the date of this news release and the Company does not
undertake an obligation to publicly update such forward-looking
information or forward-looking information to reflect new
information, subsequent events or otherwise unless required by
applicable securities laws.
View original content to download
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bc-centre-on-substance-use-hosts-inaugural-cannabis-science-symposium-300964503.html
SOURCE Spectrum Therapeutics