The first health research chair on cannabis in Canada is at St. Thomas University in New Brunswick.
Premier Brian Gallant says the chair will examine the social determinants of health relative to the use of recreational and medical marijuana.
The chair will provide evidence based data and scholarly interpretation to guide the development of public policy.
Potential areas of research include comparative analysis between medical and recreational use, as well as substance abuse prevention strategies.
The new chair will also help the university educate undergraduate students about social responsibilities.
Shoppers Drug Mart and the New Brunswick Health Research Foundation are funding the position by contributing $1 million over five years.
The funding begins this year, and the chair is expected to be in place this upcoming academic year following a national search.
