Cannabis

The CEWH is a leading voice in bringing sex and gender-based analysis plus (SGBA+) considerations to cannabis use and highlighting gaps in evidence and policy considerations. We have offered expertise to policy makers, practitioners, researchers and consumers on how cannabis affects its users, and how policy and research can be improved. Additionally, we have investigated how sex and gender affect the use, impact and regulation of cannabis in an era of rapid changes in cannabis policy in Canada.

In 2021 we developed the Sex, Gender and Cannabis Hub, where we host a variety of resources, including research bulletins on survey data and research summaries on cannabis related topics of interest, both incorporating SGBA+. The Hub also houses resources that we developed for service providers, with a focus on women’s health and cannabis use.

Info Sheets and Guides:

• Women and Cannabis Info Sheet (updated 2023) – This info sheet summarizes the research on cannabis and women’s health, including during pregnancy and postpartum.
• Two resources for women and service providers who work with women who vape during pregnancy or postpartum (2023):
  1. Vaping During Pregnancy & Postpartum
  2. Why women vape during pregnancy & postpartum: Conversation starters for your practice
• Three info sheets for women and service providers who work with women who use cannabis (2022):
  1. Why women use cannabis – English or French
  2. The ways women use cannabis – English or French
  3. Some alternatives to using cannabis to cope with stress – English or French
• Two resources on breastfeeding for women and service providers (2021):
  1. Breastfeeding and Cannabis: A Harm Reduction Resource for Health Care and Social Service Providers– English or French
  2. Taking Care: A Short Guide to Breastfeeding and Substance Use – English or French
• Sex, Gender & Vaping Info Sheet (2020) – This info sheet examines evidence on sex and gender related factors affecting patterns of use, exposure and health effects of cannabis vaping and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).

Toolkits:

• A toolkit which contains information on sex, gender, equity and cannabis. It is aimed at encouraging harm reduction in the use of cannabis (2019):
  
  1. Toolkit Part 1- Key messages and fact sheets
  2. Toolkit Part 2- Four Research articles

Reports:

• Sex Gender and Cannabis Research Report (2019) – This report reviews research and data published between 2007 and 2017 on cannabis use and its effects in order to highlight sex and gender related factors and issues. Several suggestions for priority actions, research directions, and future prevention messaging were provided to Health Canada.

Journal Articles:

• Gender Norms, Roles and Relations and Cannabis-Use Patterns: A Scoping Review (2020)
• Sex- and Gender-Based Analysis in Cannabis Treatment Outcomes: A Systematic Review (2020)
• Sex and Gender Interactions on the Use and Impact of Recreational Cannabis (2020)
• New Challenges: Developing Gendered and Equitable Responses to Involuntary Exposures to Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) and Cannabis Vaping (2018)
• The privileged normalization of marijuana use – an analysis of Canadian newspaper reporting, 1997-2007 (2014)

Collaborations and Partnerships:

• Cannabis Prevalence in Inuit Communities: A Literature Review (2020) – This report was prepared for Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada. It presents findings from academic and grey literature on cannabis use by Inuit and Indigenous peoples in Canada and effective culturally grounded substance use interventions. Learn more about the project here.
• Risks of Cannabis on Fertility, Pregnancy, Breastfeeding and Parenting (2019) – This resource was developed for Best Start by Health Nexus and includes information about the effects of cannabis on fertility, pregnancy and breastfeeding, child and adolescent health, and parenting.
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Learn more:

• Visit the Publications page to find related journal articles and other publications of interest.
• Visit the Sex, Gender and Cannabis Hub for more resources.