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The new pot professor at the University of British Columbia will conduct studies to examine the potential of cannabis as a treatment for the opioid use disorder.
On Friday, November 23, Milloy, the leading field epidemiologist and a respected scientist, was announced as Canopy Growth Professor of Cannabis Science. His appointment was made possible by the $ 2.5 million gift from Canopy Growth, a major cannabis producer and $ 500,000 in the province of British Columbia.
The opiate crisis in Canada
The primary goal of Milloy's research, according to UBC, is to find evidence that cannabis can provide a positive impact on people who are affected by opioid abuse. Over the past few months, 1,143 people in British Columbia have died from suspected overdose
.
Canada, like the United States, has an opiate crisis. The government has estimated
that in 2017, about 11 lives were lost daily due to opioid overdose. Most of the victims, about two-thirds of all opiate-related deaths, were men.
Although there are available treatment options, previous research has shown that less than one-third of opioid agonists or OAT patients remain six months apart. This refers to the fact that giving up the treatment of addiction is a major risk factor for death due to overdose.
Opioids include fentanyl, oxycodone, morphine, codeine and heroin. Some opiates are prescribed by doctors
to treat major pain, but can also be obtained illegally.
Key Cannabis to End the Opiate Crisis?
UBC hopes that the results of Milloy's study might add evidence to the claims that cannabis could better support people suffering from opiate-related disorder. If successful, it could pave the way for the introduction of cannabis-based therapy.
"We need all hands-on-decks to save lives and help people find treatment and recovery services that will work for them in the long run," he said
Judy Darcy, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction in British Columbia. Our government has been bold and innovative in providing evidence-based treatment options for people living with addiction. This first-of-kind teacher will lead research and clinical studies on how cannabis products can be used to address the overdose crisis that takes three to four lives a day. "
Earlier studies by Milloy focused on the relationship between illicit drugs and HIV. It also analyzed the impact of public health on the legalization of cannabis
and medical application of cannabis for people with substance abuse disorders.
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