From cannabis to kush: perspectives on substance use
8 July 2025
Substance use is a global public health challenge, affecting Northern and Southern countries alike. Yet strategies for managing it have varied widely. In this episode, host Garry Aslanyan speaks with Kwame McKenzie, a practicing psychiatrist and CEO of the Wellesley Institute. He's also Director of Health Equity at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Canada. Together they unpack how language shapes policy, explore the impact of the pandemic on substance use and discuss lessons from different national approaches to addressing this complex issue.
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Substance use is a global public health challenge, affecting Northern and Southern countries alike. Yet strategies for managing it have varied widely. In this episode, host Garry Aslanyan speaks with Kwame McKenzie, a practicing psychiatrist and CEO of the Wellesley Institute. He's also Director of Health Equity at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Canada. Together they unpack how language shapes policy, explore the impact of the pandemic on substance use and discuss lessons from different national approaches to addressing this complex issue.
Highlights of the episode
Video of Kwame and Garry
Video of Kwame
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