Canada Invests $24 Million to Launch First National Cannabis and Brain Health Research Consortium

The Canadian government announced Wednesday that it is investing $24 million to establish the country’s first national research consortium focused specifically on cannabis and brain health.

The funding, provided through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), will establish the Canadian Cannabis and Brain Health Consortium, bringing together researchers from across Canada to examine the effects of marijuana throughout different stages of life.

The consortium will include 10 multidisciplinary research teams studying subjects ranging from the therapeutic potential of marijuana to its effects on sleep, prenatal exposure and overall brain health.

Researchers will also examine marijuana use among people with conditions including psychosis, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and epilepsy, with the goal of better understanding its potential benefits and risks.

“Good health policy starts with strong evidence,” said Health Minister Marjorie Michel. “This $24 million investment will bring together researchers from across the country to advance our understanding of how cannabis affects brain health and generate knowledge that helps improve care, inform policy and supports the health of Canadians.”

According to the government, more than one in three Canadian adults reported using marijuana in 2025. Canada legalized marijuana for recreational use nationwide in 2018.

In addition to funding individual research projects, the consortium will establish a coordinated national research infrastructure designed to make it easier to harmonize, pool and access cannabis-related data across provinces and territories.

“As cannabis use and products continue to evolve, so must our understanding of their effects on health,” said Dr. Patricia Conrod, scientific director of the CIHR Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction. “The Canadian Cannabis and Brain Health Consortium will help researchers build a stronger understanding of how cannabis affects people’s health at every stage of life, generating knowledge that can guide prevention, care and evidence-informed policies for years to come.”

The initiative was developed under CIHR’s Integrated Cannabis Research Strategy and follows recommendations made in the 2024 legislative review of Canada’s Cannabis Act, which identified several areas where additional research was needed.

The government says the research will also include populations that have historically been underrepresented in cannabis studies, including Indigenous Peoples and individuals with rare or complex medical histories.