Past Project: #CannabisClaims Campaign
#CannabisClaims is a campaign addressing common misconceptions related to cannabis use and regulation.
Project Contents
Overview
#CannabisClaims is a campaign by scientists and academics to clarify misconceptions related to thirteen of the most oft-repeated claims on cannabis use and regulation, none of which are strongly supported by the scientific evidence.
As more and more jurisdictions reconsider their cannabis policies, the public discourse is filled with conflicting evidence about the impacts of cannabis use and regulation. Cannabis causes schizophrenia. Cannabis is as addictive as heroin. Cannabis regulation leads to increased traffic fatalities. We hear claims like these all the time – but are they based on science? Given that policy decisions are influenced by public opinion and media reports, an inaccurate understanding of the evidence can lead to ineffective or harmful policy.
To investigate this issue, the CDPE convened scientists to conduct a review of the evidence for and against thirteen of the most oft-repeated claims on cannabis use and regulation. In August 2015, the CDPE released two complementary reports, available in English and Spanish, providing comprehensive evaluations of the evidence for and against each claim. The reports are a resource for journalists, policymakers, and members of the general public who would like to engage with the complex issues surrounding global cannabis use and regulation.
The CDPE continued the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #CannabisClaims, and created graphics (see below, also available in Spanish), blog posts, and a video to feature individual claims.
“Given that policy decisions are influenced by public opinion and media reports, an inaccurate understanding of the evidence can lead to ineffective or harmful policy.














Financial Supporters
Open Society Foundations
Project Contact
Nazlee Maghsoudi
nazlee@cdpe.org
Related Content
Press Releases:
- Scientists Speak Out Against False Cannabis Claims
- New Report Outlines Recommendations for Achieving Equity and Social Justice in Canadian Cannabis Policies
- UN Green Lights Medicinal Cannabis, Fails to Challenge Colonial Legacy of its Prohibition
- Canada’s Legal Cannabis Industry Lacks Diversity, A New Policy Brief by the Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation and the University of Toronto Finds
- New Policy Brief Provides Guidance to States on Aligning Regulation of Recreational Cannabis Markets With International Legal Obligations
Blog Posts:
- Is Cannabis Tourism a Cause for Concern?
- Here’s Why We Hear So Many False Claims About Cannabis
- A Sheriff and Deputy City Attorney Share How Cannabis Legalization in Washington State Has Impacted Impaired Driving
- Getting the Facts Right on Cannabis Addiction
- Opinion: Proper Regulation Can Address Concerns About Creating a ‘Big Marijuana’ Industry
- Misinformed Cannabis Policies Prevent Access to Life-Saving Treatments
- How Can We Keep Pot Out of the Hands of Teenagers? By Regulating It
- Separating Fact from Fiction in the Cannabis Debate
One-Page Response Guides:
- Cannabis is as addictive as heroin
- Cannabis potency has increased
- Cannabis is a gateway drug
- Cannabis use damages the heart and lungs
- Cannabis use lowers IQ
- Cannabis use impairs cognitive function
- Cannabis use causes schizophrenia
- Regulating cannabis increases availability
- Regulating cannabis increases use
- Regulating cannabis does not reduce drug crime
- Regulating cannabis increases impaired driving
- Regulating cannabis promotes drug tourism
- Regulating cannabis leads to “Big Marijuana”

State of the Evidence: Cannabis Use and Regulation
This report provides a comprehensive overview of the scientific research on major claims made about cannabis use and regulation.
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Using Evidence to Talk About Cannabis
This summary report will equip readers with quick, easy, and evidence-based responses to commonly heard claims on cannabis use and regulation.
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Policy Impact Unit
The Policy Impact Unit works in partnership with drug policy stakeholders – including people who use drugs, affected communities, civil society, and policymakers – to support the development of evidence- and rights-based drug policies in Canada and around the globe.
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A Roadmap for Cannabis Equity in Canada to Inform the Legislated Review of the Cannabis Act
This report analyzes the impact of the Cannabis Act on equity seeking groups and draws on best practices to develop a roadmap for cannabis equity in Canada, with the aim of informing the federal legislated review of the Cannabis Act.
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How Diverse is Canada’s Legal Cannabis Industry? Examining Race and Gender of its Executives and Directors
The aim of this project was to examine the race and gender of c-suite level executives and boards of directors of licensed cannabis producers and their parent companies operating in the Canadian cannabis industry, in order to assess whether the promise of an equitable legal cannabis market has been achieved.
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Recreational Cannabis Regulation & International Law: Scenarios for States Parties to the UN Drug Conventions
This policy brief from the CDPE and the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto provides guidance to national governments seeking to align domestic legalization and regulation of recreational cannabis markets with their international legal obligations.
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