Country for PR: United States
Contributor: PR Newswire New York
Wednesday, July 10 2019 - 22:00
AsiaNet
Spectrum Therapeutics partners with Canadian Mental Health Association's Not Myself Today(R) initiative
SMITHS FALLS, Ontario and TORONTO, July 10, 2019 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --

Spectrum Therapeutics ("Spectrum"), the medical division of Canopy Growth 
Corporation (TSX: WEED) (NYSE: CGC) (the "Company" or "Canopy Growth") is 
pleased to announce a partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association 
("CMHA"). The initiative, a first of its kind for a leading cannabis company 
and a national mental health organization, will see the CMHA in collaboration 
with Spectrum Therapeutics develop an educational content module related to 
cannabis in the workplace as part of CMHA's Not Myself Today workplace mental 
health program. The module, slated to launch early next year, will feature a 
host of physical and digital engagement tools aimed to reduce stigma in the 
workplace on the use of cannabinoid based medicines. In addition, it will 
encourage greater healthcare practitioner oversight when patients use cannabis 
to treat a medical condition. The content will also include video resources 
featuring medical cannabis subject matter experts and fact sheets that provide 
detailed information and direct readers to further resources.

"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."

Estimates suggest one in two Canadians have or will have a mental illness by 
age 40.[1] Fifty-three percent of Canadians consider anxiety and depression to 
be epidemic in the country[2] and mental illness is a leading cause of 
disability claims in the workplace in Canada.

Not Myself Today is an evidence-based initiative designed to help employers and 
employees transform mental health at work. The program is embraced by more than 
500 organizations across Canada and the U.S., reaching more than 350,000 
employees. By breaking down barriers and making the topic of mental health 
engaging and accessible to all employees, Not Myself Today improves mental 
health literacy, reduces stigma, and shifts workplace culture to be more 
supportive of every employee's mental health and well-being. For the past six 
years, the initiative has evolved into a highly-regarded program and counts 
many of Canada's largest and most respected employers across corporate, 
government and social sectors as its champions. 

"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."

The research on cannabis use and mental illness is still in its infancy and 
CMHA highlights that more studies are needed to understand the relationship 
between mental health and cannabis use, both in terms of possible benefits and 
risks. CMHA and Spectrum Therapeutics strongly advise that individuals speak 
with a health-care practitioner for advice on any mental health treatment 
including medical cannabis.

Spectrum Therapeutics has identified mental health as an area with high unmet 
medical needs and is currently engaged in clinical research in partnership with 
leading academic institutions and research centres to determine the role 
cannabis can play in addressing mood and anxiety disorders. Today's 
announcement builds on Spectrum Therapeutics and Canopy Growth's legacy of 
furthering the public's understanding of cannabis which includes partnerships 
with the likes of:

    -- Parent Action on Drugs and Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy 
       to educate parents, adult caregivers and youth on how to make 
       responsible decisions about cannabis. 
    -- The Arthritis Society to create evidence-based resources to help 
       people with arthritis learn more about the potential of medical 
       cannabis as a treatment. 
    -- The University of British Columbia by way of a $2.5 million donation 
       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 to conduct an extensive research review that formed the 
       basis for MADD Canada's recommendations on responsible cannabis use 
       and sober driving.

Through these partnerships and support for campaigns such as Not Myself Today, 
Canopy Growth and its medical division, Spectrum Therapeutics is proud to 
provide education for patients, their families and healthcare providers on 
medical cannabis and its role in mitigating some of our most common healthcare 
issues. 

Here's to Future Growth (and promoting mental wellness).

--------------------------------------
[1] Smetanin et al. (2011). The life and economic impact of major mental 
illnesses in Canada: 2011-2041. Prepared for the Mental Health Commission of 
Canada. Toronto: RiskAnalytica.
[2] Survey commissioned by CMHA and conducted by Maru/Matchbox in Sept. 2018: 
https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/over-half-of-canadians-consider-anxiety-and-depression-epidemic-1027539125.

	
Not Myself Today(R) is a registered trademark of the Canadian Mental Health 
Association.
-------------------------------------- 


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 ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=2520045-1&h=1045187878&u=https%3A%2F%2Fcmha.ca%2F&a=cmha.ca 
). 

About Canopy Growth Corporation
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.

Canopy Growth's medical division, Spectrum Therapeutics is proudly dedicated to 
educating healthcare practitioners, conducting robust clinical research, and 
furthering the public's understanding of cannabis, and has devoted millions of 
dollars toward cutting edge, commercializable research and IP development. 
Spectrum Therapeutics sells a range of full-spectrum products using its 
colour-coded classification Spectrum system as well as single cannabinoid 
Dronabinol under the brand Bionorica Ethics.

Canopy Growth operates retail stores across Canada under its award-winning 
Tweed and Tokyo Smoke banners. Tweed is a globally recognized cannabis brand 
which has built a large and loyal following by focusing on quality products and 
meaningful customer relationships.

From our historic public listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange and New York 
Stock Exchange to our continued international expansion, pride in advancing 
shareholder value through leadership is engrained in all we do at Canopy 
Growth. Canopy Growth has established partnerships with leading sector names 
including cannabis icons Snoop Dogg and Seth Rogen, breeding legends DNA 
Genetics and Green House Seeds, and Fortune 500 alcohol leader Constellation 
Brands, to name but a few. Canopy Growth owns 12 licensed cannabis production 
sites with millions of square feet of production capacity, including more than 
one million square feet of GMP certified production space. For more information 
visit www.canopygrowth.com

About Spectrum Therapeutics
Spectrum Therapeutics, the medical division of Canopy Growth Corporation (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. 

Spectrum Therapeutics' offerings include whole flower cannabis, oils and new 
innovations such as Softgels in addition to single cannabinoid medicine 
Dronabinol under the brand Bionorica Ethics. Through product simplification, 
robust clinical research and ongoing education of healthcare professionals, 
Spectrum Therapeutics is committed to addressing the unmet medical needs of 
patients around the globe.

Notice Regarding Forward Looking Statements
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of 
the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and 
"forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian 
securities legislation. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements and 
information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or 
"does not expect", "is expected", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or 
"does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases 
or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", 
"might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements or 
information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors 
which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Canopy 
Growth or its subsidiaries to be materially different from any future results, 
performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking 
statements or information contained in this news release. Examples of such 
statements include "aimed to reduce stigma in the workplace on the use of 
cannabis as a medicine", and "content will also include video resources 
featuring medical cannabis subject matter experts and fact sheets". Risks, 
uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could 
cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to 
differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking 
information, including content development and such risks contained in the 
Company's annual information form dated June 24, 2019 and filed with Canadian 
securities regulators available on the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR at 
www.sedar.com. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors 
used in preparing the forward-looking information or forward-looking statements 
in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on 
such information and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in 
the disclosed time frames or at all. The forward-looking information and 
forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the 
date of this news release and the Company does not undertake an obligation to 
publicly update such forward-looking information or forward-looking information 
to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise unless required by 
applicable securities laws.

For further information: Canopy Growth, Carly Pickett, Media Relations, 
carly.pickett@canopygrowth.com, 343-996-3234; Tyler Burns, Investor Relations, 
Tyler.burns@canopygrowth.com, 855-558-9333 ex 122; Canadian Mental Health 
Association, Katherine Janson, National Director of Communications, Canadian 
Mental Health Association, National, kjanson@cmha.ca, 416-646-5557 ext. 24923

SOURCE Spectrum Therapeutics