The Science of Cannabis

The science of Cannabis

The legalization of marijuana will be an enormous change for Canadians. The impact will have a cascading effect across many industries including: law enforcement, education, transportation, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and legal services. But this shift in policy will also bring forward new opportunities for scientific research to help us understand how cannabis works and how it effects those who consume it.

In partnership with the Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research and the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research, McMaster Continuing Education is excited to announce that in spring 2019 it will be one of the first post-secondary institutions to offer a science and evidence-focused program about cannabis called "The Science of Cannabis."

The purpose of the program is to provide a substantive grounding in the scientific study of cannabis and the evidence base pertaining to its therapeutic applications as well as potential risks and harms.

Features

• Earn a 3-course academic Certificate of Completion (9 units)
• Convenient online platform
• Open enrolment, no application required
• Learn from expert instructors and researchers
• Connect with professional peers across disciplines

Learning Objectives

The program is designed to prepare graduates to be critical thinkers about medicinal and non-medicinal cannabis use in healthcare settings and beyond. Graduates will be able to do the following:

• Demonstrate an advanced understanding of the nature of the cannabis plants, the therapeutic applications of cannabis, and the risks associated with cannabis.
• Identify the different plant species and diverse botanical constituents comprising the cannabis genus.
• Articulate the fundamentals of the endocannabinoid system and its relationship to other major neurotransmitter systems in the brain.
• Describe the historical evolution of cannabis use and the shifting regulatory frameworks.
• Explain psychiatric nosology, the nature of cannabis use disorder, and other psychiatric disorders that are associated with cannabis.
• Evaluate the links between cannabis use and accidental injury/death, lung disease, psychotic disorders, abnormal brain development, and diminished lifetime achievement.
• Describe the GRADE system for evaluating the evidence basis of medical interventions.
• Apply the GRADE system for evaluating the evidence basis for the use of cannabis for treating a medical condition.
• Identify the medical conditions for which cannabis may have a curative or palliative role.
• Critique the cost-benefit ratio for cannabis in the context of its therapeutic effects and adverse side effects.