About CCIC
Our Vision
Our vision is that the CCIC will be the trusted resource for evidence-based education on the health impacts of cannabis and be the national network hub for ongoing cannabis/cannabinoid research.
Our Mission
Our mission is to advance and promote evidence-based research and education concerning the endocannabinoid system, the therapeutic applications of cannabinoids, the potential harms associated with cannabis use and the societal and health impacts of non-medical cannabis use to the health care community and the general public. The CCIC represents a group of researchers, healthcare professionals and educators who promote a balanced perspective regarding the current science says about the biological, health and societal effects of cannabis and cannabinoids.
History of the organization
2000
The CCIC first came together in the spring of 2000 as a result of initial funding from the CIHR under the leadership of Dr Mary Lynch. Since that time the CCIC has grown to include basic science and clinical researchers and other health care practitioners. The CCIC has been consulted for Senate committee reports, regulatory guidelines for medical cannabis and CCIC members have conducted and extensively published research on cannabinoids.
2007
In June 2007, under the guidance of Dr. Mark Ware, the CCIC became a federally incorporated non-profit organization to continue to further our understanding of cannabinoids. The need for educational initiatives had also become clear and the CCIC aims also to provide a credible source of information on cannabinoids for the public and health care practitioners.
2014
After running several cannabinoid based educational events as small workshops or satellites to other meetings, in 2014 Dr. Ware initiated a stand-alone congress for the CCIC. The CCIC congress acted as the primary educational event for cannabis and cannabinoids in Canada, and while starting as a 1 day event, soon expanded into a two day congress bringing together leaders in the field to provide up to date lectures on the current state of knowledge regarding cannabinoids in clinical practice. Attendance at the congress has exceeded 400 participants for the past consecutive years.
2018
At the conclusion of the 2018 CCIC congress Dr. Mark Ware announced he was stepping down after heading the CCIC for over a decade and Dr. Matthew Hill assumed the reins as the Executive Director. As 2018 proved to be a pivotal year in Canada, where cannabis legalization was implemented by the federal government, the CCIC has now broadened its mandate to expand beyond educating only about the role of cannabinoids in clinical practice to now act as the primary hub for education and research for cannabis and cannabinoids in the context of both non-medical and medical use. With an ever growing network of cannabis and cannabinoid researchers in Canada, the CCIC will continue to evolve and grow and meet the demands required for ongoing educational needs for the medical community and the general public.
