Canopy Growth and CMHA Launch Initiative to Tackle Mental Health in Canada

The medical division of Canopy Growth (TSX: WEED) (NYSE: CGC), Spectrum Therapeutics, announced this morning that the company is joining forces with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) to develop educational content modules relating to cannabis in the workplace. This is the first time that a major cannabis company has partnered with a national mental health organization.

The 2 companies will collaborate on their new mental health initiative as part of CMHA’s ‘Not Myself Today‘ workplace mental health program. The new cannabis-themed mental health module is expected to launch in early 2020. The goal of this initiative is to provide digital and physical engagement tools to help diminish the stigma surrounding cannabis-based medication use in the workplace. The module also hopes to encourage doctors to increase their time spent overseeing patients who use medicinal cannabis as a treatment.

The program will feature video content from medical cannabis experts in addition to detailed informational fact sheets to provide additional resources. This mental health partnership is very much needed as it is estimated that 1 in 2 Canadians have or will end up having some form of mental health issues by the time they turn 40. In Canada, 53% consider depression and anxiety to be a countrywide epidemic. It is also important to note that mental illness in Canada is a leading cause of disability claims.

“The stigma surrounding medical cannabis and mental illness prevents meaningful action and dialogue among those affected. One of the goals of this partnership is to break that stigma by empowering conversations about mental health informed by evidence-based educational resources,” said Dr. Mark Ware, Chief Medical Officer, Canopy Growth. “For Spectrum Therapeutics, this partnership presents a powerful opportunity to improve lives by enhancing physical and mental health through access to education that sparks learning along with conversations about medical cannabis in the workplace.”

“The mental health-care system of the future is not just in clinics or hospitals — it’s in settings like the workplace, where we can promote the skills, knowledge, and practices that can improve mental health for the broad population instead of limiting our focus to individual patients,” said Fardous Hosseiny, interim National CEO, CMHA. “With the support of partners like Spectrum Therapeutics, our Not Myself Today program will educate, reduce stigma, and foster safe and supportive cultures for the one in five Canadians who experience mental illness in a given year — and for the five in five Canadians who have mental health.”

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Not Myself Today CMHA Program:

Workplace mental health program.
Designed to help employers and employees transform mental health at work.
- Evidence-based.
Embraced by more than 500 organizations across Canada and the U.S.
- Reaches more than 350,000 employees.
Breaks down barriers to make the topic of mental health issues engaging and accessible to all employees.
Improves mental health literacy.
- Reduces stigma associated with mental health.
- Shifts workplace culture in order to be more supportive of every employee’s mental health and well-being.
Over the past 6 years, the initiative has evolved into a highly-regarded program.
- Works with many of Canada’s largest and most respected corporate, government and social sector employers.
  - Refers to these respected employers as its champions.

The research surrounding mental health and the use of medical cannabis is still in its very early stages and the CMHA understands that there are more studies needed to fully understand how mental health and medical cannabis use work together in regards to the benefits and potential risks. Spectrum Therapeutics and CMHA highly recommend that individuals suffering from mental health issues consult with their licensed health-care practitioner to seek medical advice on the subject before using medicinal cannabis to treat mental health.

Spectrum Therapeutics is currently investing in clinical research in order to help fill the void in Canada’s unmet mental health medical needs. Spectrum has partnered with leading research centers and academic institutions to determine the role medical cannabis can play in treating anxiety and mood disorders.

Canopy Growth and Spectrum Therapeutics continue to be an industry leader and first mover in regards to furthering the public’s understanding of cannabis and its medical applications.

Canopy currently has partnerships in place with:

Parent Action on Drugs and Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy
- Educating parents, adult caregivers, and youth on how to make responsible decisions about cannabis.
The Arthritis Society
- Creating evidence-based resources to help people with arthritis learn more about the potential of medical cannabis as a treatment.
The University of British Columbia
- Donated $2.5 million to conduct controlled trials examining the potential utility of cannabis in addressing the opioid overdose crisis and to establish the Canopy Growth Professorship of Cannabis Science.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition
- Conducting an extensive research review that formed the basis for MADD Canada’s recommendations on responsible cannabis use and sober driving.

Canopy Growth and Spectrum Therapeutics should be applauded for their latest initiative with CMHA and its Not Myself Today campaign. Canopy continues to be the sector leader in many areas of the industry including driving forward the topic of cannabis as a medical treatment, reducing the stigma associated with cannabis, and breaking down the barriers along the way.

We are excited to follow Canopy on their journey to help the many people suffering from mental health in Canada ease the pain and reduce the social stigma associated with it.

Investors looking for additional information on Canopy Growth are encouraged to visit the company’s website here.

Additional investor due diligence links: Canopy IR Website & Canopy Investor Deck

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About Canopy Growth:

Canopy Growth (TSX: WEED) (NYSE: CGC) is a world-leading diversified cannabis, hemp, and cannabis device company, offering distinct brands and curated cannabis varieties in dried, oil and Softgel capsule forms, as well as medical devices through Canopy Growth’s subsidiary, Storz & Bickel GMbH & Co. KG. From product and process innovation to market execution, Canopy Growth is driven by a passion for leadership and a commitment to building a world-class cannabis company one product, site and country at a time. Canopy Growth has operations in over a dozen countries across five continents.

About Spectrum Therapeutics:

Spectrum Therapeutics, the medical division of Canopy Growth (TSX: WEED) (NYSE: CGC), is dedicated to educating healthcare practitioners, furthering the public’s understanding of medical cannabis and its various applications, and cutting edge, commercializable research and IP development. Founded in Canada, Spectrum Therapeutics operates in Australia, South America, Africa and across Europe. Its products are available in a wide range of potencies and formats designed to simplify the dialogue around strength and dosage by applying a colour-coded spectrum to categorize medical cannabis according to THC and CBD levels.

About Canadian Mental Health Association:

Founded in 1918, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) is the most established, most extensive community mental health organization in Canada. Through a presence in more than 330 communities across every province and one territory, CMHA provides advocacy, programs, and resources that help to prevent mental health problems and illnesses, support recovery and resilience, and enable all Canadians to flourish and thrive. For more information, visit cmha.ca.

Read the full Canopy Growth CMHA press release