Health committee  I completely agree that in terms of long-term effects for a lot of the areas that people are using cannabis we absolutely need more research. I think there are certain conditions where we now have ample research to be able to suggest that there is some good going on. We have a st

Health committee  I think the evidence is pretty clear that even starting in the seventies, from seizures done by NIDA and governments that track the rates, there was always high-THC cannabis available at the time. I think we've seen an increase in the rates of THC that came with people producing

Health committee  The statistical information I remember is that 44% of Canadians admit to consuming marijuana at least once in their life. As a researcher on drugs, I can tell you that the figure is probably a bit higher than that. Usually, when people call in and ask questions about drug use, n

Health committee  I just wanted to add regarding your first question that for the health care costs of Canadian users, according to 2002 data, the average cannabis user costs the health care system about $20 a year, the average tobacco user $822 a year, and the average alcohol user $165 a year.

Health committee  That's according to recent research.

Health committee  I'm not, but I'm familiar with Dr. Sabet and some of his past statements on the use of cannabis.

Health committee  My primary area of research is called the cannabis substitution effect. That's a phenomenon where people either consciously or unconsciously use cannabis instead of using prescription drugs, alcohol, or illicit substances. The evidence suggests that approximately 80% of medical c

Health committee  There are about 75 medical cannabis dispensaries. It's a shifting number because they tend to open up and close down on a pretty regular basis in Canada. They tend to be concentrated in major urban areas. They have been shown, through research and otherwise, to provide a safe sou

Health committee  I mentioned the Tashkin study.

Health committee  I've submitted it to you, so you can look at the Tashkin study.

Health committee  What I would add to that—and I think you missed this part of the discussion—is that currently Veterans Affairs pays for the cost of medical cannabis to veterans who are suffering from PTSD. One of the main symptoms of PTSD is high levels of anxiety; depression was mentioned earli

Health committee  Sure. I think the evidence is starting to grow that cannabis can be used safely and effectively. I see it as one of the many tools that our medical system can benefit from. Until the 1930s it was part of the North American pharmacopoeia, and physicians were using cannabis in a lo

Health committee  If I could add a bit to that. I think you're absolutely right that we should all be concerned about youth trends of use. I think we need to be conscious of this. In B.C., for example, about 70% of graduating high school students will have tried cannabis, and only 50% will have

Health committee  About 70% will have tried cannabis and about 50% will have tried tobacco. In fact, the trends are declining right now. It's interesting that using a public health-centred campaign and honest education, we have reduced tobacco rates without having to criminalize anyone or crimin

Health committee  Absolutely. The most common substitution is for drugs involving chronic pain, so pharmaceutical opiates, and typically drugs that are pain relievers. Of course, the pharmaceutical opiates are attributed to the fastest-rising rate of addiction in Canada, with the associated fast