This composite features anatomical illustrations from medieval Islamic medical manuscripts, including depictions of the vascular and nervous systems by Persian scholars such as Ibn Sina and Mansur ibn Ilyas, revealing an early and remarkably detailed understanding of human physiology.

Dr. Tareq Yousef wants to stimulate your thinking by showing you diagrams of ancient brains.

The assistant professor of teaching in UBC Okanagan’s Department of Psychology is offering educators another way to incorporate perspectives from outside Western academia.

In an article for the Journal of Undergraduate Neuroscience Education, he linked his expertise in neuroanatomy and retinal neuromodulation—how the eye processes visual information—with his passion for student performance and equity in academia.

“This paper is a compendium for educators,” Dr. Yousef explains. “It’s a tool to help instructors expand their teaching materials to include broader perspectives. When we acknowledge the contributions of non-Western civilizations, we’re not only being inclusive; we’re making the curriculum more accurate and engaging.”

His article is a resource for neuroscience instructors and offers valuable lessons for anyone seeking to broaden their viewpoint.

The article focuses on three key historical sources as examples of how education expands the further you look:

• Hasan ibn al-Haytham (Kitab al-Manazir, 11th century, Iraq) is renowned as the father of optics. He was the first to suggest that vision occurs when light reflects off objects and enters the eye, challenging ancient Greek theories. His manuscript contains some of the earliest anatomical illustrations of the eye, establishing the groundwork for modern vision science.
• Ibn Sina (Canon of Medicine, 11th century, Uzbekistan): One of history’s most influential physicians, Ibn Sina (also called Avicenna) suggested that different regions of the brain control reasoning, sensation and memory. This idea foreshadowed modern neuroscience’s understanding of brain function. His Canon of Medicine was a medical textbook for over 600 years.
• Mansur ibn Ilyas (Tashrih-i badan-i insan, 14th century, Iran): He created one of the earliest known full-body anatomical studies, featuring detailed diagrams that distinguish between the centraland peripheral nervous systems. His work combined scientific accuracy with artistic precision, making neuroanatomy more accessible to both students and scholars.

What inspired you to write this article?

I want to help educators expand their worldviews. Although neuroanatomy has historically been taught through a Western lens, there is a rich history of contributions from other parts of the world. I wanted to make it easier for educators to include these perspectives in their teaching.

What makes the historical illustrations you studied so significant?

The illustrations provide visual evidence of an early understanding of the nervous system. For example, Mansur ibn Ilyas’s work from the 14th century demonstrates remarkable detail about the central and peripheral nervous systems centuries before some of the more well-known Western discoveries. These illustrations also remind us of how art and science intersect in education.

How does this work contribute to educational understanding?

This work aligns with broader efforts to decolonize education.

Incorporating diverse perspectives helps create a more inclusive and accurate curriculum, which benefits all students.

What’s the broader takeaway for educators?

Education should reflect the diversity of our world. By including non-Western perspectives, we can make the curriculum more representative and engaging for students from all backgrounds.

What do you hope this work achieves?

I hope it serves as a resource for educators looking to broaden their materials and challenge traditional ways of thinking. It’s a step toward a more inclusive approach to teaching neuroanatomy.

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Dr. Mohamed Shehata and Dr. John Braun at UBC Okanagan recently received a Husky A300 Starter Kit through Clearpath Robotics’ 2024 PartnerBot Grant Program. The grant supports innovative robotics research by providing equipment and resources to Canadian institutions.

A new research initiative at UBC Okanagan is using robotics and artificial intelligence to address two of Canada’s biggest challenges: wildfire mitigation and sustainable agriculture.

Dr. Mohamed Shehata, Dr. John Braun and their UBC Okanagan student recently received a Husky A300 Starter Kit through the 2024 PartnerBot Grant Program.

“The Husky A300 allows us to develop and test our navigation algorithms in real conditions,” says Dr. Shehata, a Professor of Computer Science with the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science. “It’s not just theoretical anymore—we can take it into the field, collect real data, and refine how these robots can work in challenging environments.”

Wildfire response: Reducing risk for firefighters

One of the most effective ways to control wildfires is to use a fire line, a cleared strip of land where vegetation is removed or burned down to bare mineral soil. This creates a barrier designed to stop or significantly slow the progression of a wildfire by depriving it of fuel to burn across.

Dr. Shehata’s team is exploring how autonomous robots, guided by AI and drone-assisted navigation, could perform these high-risk tasks. For example, the Husky A300 could be equipped with fire ignition tools or high-pressure water hoses, reducing the need for firefighters to enter high-risk areas.

Working alongside drones, which provide real-time data and mapping, the robot could navigate rough landscapes and assist in targeted fire suppression, making wildfire management safer and more precise.

“We’re looking at how we can send these robots into difficult terrain and control them remotely,” Dr. Shehata says. “Instead of putting firefighters at risk, we can use AI-powered navigation and real-time data visualization to guide operations from a safe distance.”

The team is collaborating with wildfire researchers at UBCO and an Alberta company specializing in high-pressure water delivery systems to explore how robots could complement existing aerial firefighting tools like helicopters.

Precision agriculture: Smarter, chemical-free farming

Beyond wildfires, Dr. Shehata is applying robotics to agriculture, using AI to help farmers detect weeds, monitor crop health and reduce chemical herbicides.

This automation can reduce chemical use, improve crop yields and make farming more sustainable—key priorities for Canada’s agricultural sector.

It’s the type of work made possible through engaged community partners such as the PartnerBot program. Established by Clearpath Robotics in 2012, the program supports innovative robotics projects by providing equipment and resources.

“We’re working with the Summerland Research and Development Centre and partners in Germany to develop new ways to use robotics in precision farming,” Dr. Shehata says. “Using AI and sensor-equipped drones, we can map fields and identify exactly where intervention is needed—whether it’s watering, fertilizing or targeted weed removal using lasers instead of herbicides.”

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A new study by UBCO and TRU suggests medical cannabis can support addiction recovery by managing cravings, pain, and mental health symptoms.

A new pilot study from UBC Okanagan and Thompson Rivers University examined how medically supervised cannabis use in a residential recovery home may support people in treatment for substance use challenges.

Participants reported that cannabis helped them manage pain, anxiety, depression and sleep issues—key symptoms that can complicate recovery.

“Our findings suggest medical cannabis could play a meaningful role in reducing cravings and improving retention in recovery programs,” says Dr. Zach Walsh, a psychology professor at UBC Okanagan and co-lead researcher.

“Participants clearly indicated benefits in managing both physical and psychological challenges during recovery.”

Users also reported reduced cravings for opioids and other harmful substances, improved pain management and enhanced mental health and sleep quality.

However, stigma surrounding cannabis use remains a significant barrier, according to the research.

Staff interviews revealed a need for increased education and better integration into the cannabis treatment approach.

“Reducing stigma through targeted education for program staff is critical,” says Dr. Florriann Fehr, co-lead researcher and nursing professor at Thompson Rivers University.

“Staff skepticism often comes from misunderstandings about cannabis as a legitimate medical treatment, highlighting a clear opportunity for improvement in recovery support.”

The study, recently published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, was conducted by researchers from UBC Okanagan and Thompson Rivers University.

This collaboration between institutions in Kelowna and Kamloops sought to better understand patient and staff experiences with medically supervised cannabis use in a supportive recovery environment.

It examined patient and staff experiences at Maverick Supportive Recovery, a residential recovery centre in the BC interior.

Residential recovery centres provide structured, live-in environments where people receive treatment and support to manage substance use disorders.

While the results are promising, researchers emphasize the need for larger-scale studies to fully assess the benefits and risks of incorporating medical cannabis into substance use recovery programs.

This study was funded by the Interior Universities Research Coalition and the BC Ministry of Health. Dr. Fehr is to present the findings to the International Council of Nurses Congress in Helsinki this June.

TRU is also planning the Medical Cannabis and Recovery forum on Saturday, April 26. The forum is open to the public, health-care professionals and researchers interested in cannabis and recovery solutions.

For more information about this study, contact Dr. Fehr at ffehr@tru.ca or Dr. Walsh at zachary.walsh@ubc.ca.

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Researchers at UBCO are investigating how sweet cherry flower buds survive freezing temperatures in winter orchards.

Researchers at UBC Okanagan are working to learn more about how sweet cherry trees naturally protect their buds from freezing during cold winter months.

Dr. Elizabeth Houghton recently graduated from the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science’s Department of Biology. Her latest paper, published in Plant Biology, examines how sweet cherries, like many fruit trees, use a natural survival strategy called supercooling to protect undeveloped flower buds during freezing temperatures.

This is critical for fruit trees because these flower buds must survive the winter to produce the following year’s crop.

In late January 2024, temperatures in the Okanagan dipped to –27°C, causing severe damage to many fruit trees. Estimates indicate that 90 per cent of the anticipated summer crop was destroyed.

While many trees have natural methods to survive harsh winters, a supercooling survival process in stone fruits still raises questions for researchers.

“Plants like sweet cherries can survive freezing temperatures in winter using supercooling. When in a supercooled state, the liquid in plant cells can avoid freezing, even at temperatures well below 0°C —we call this a metastable liquid. However, the liquid can freeze if triggered by an impurity or ice particle,” she says.

“We don’t fully understand how this works in some plant structures, and we wanted to learn more about how sweet cherry flower buds survive cold temperatures.”

While most research on stone fruit-bearing trees has focused on peaches, Dr. Houghton notes that little attention has been paid to sweet cherry flower buds containing multiple primordia. These cell structures develop into a flower and eventually produce fruit, rather than just a single one like those of a peach tree.

Dr. Houghton examined several factors to better understand supercooling, including how ice forms in the buds, how the outer layers freeze, and the internal changes buds undergo as the weather warms and spring approaches.

Dr. Houghton notes that cherry trees are especially vulnerable in early spring because they lose their ability to supercool as the buds grow. A sudden cold snap can be disastrous, she explains.

“In simple terms, cherry buds have a special way of protecting themselves from freezing in winter, but as buds grow in the spring, they lose some of that protection,” says Dr. Houghton.

“We are trying to understand better how these fruit buds survive extreme winter temperatures,” she adds. “And because there is some debate about what winters might look like in the future—we may experience more extreme cold snaps—it’s important that we learn from the cherry trees to work towards protecting fruit crops.”

The governments of Canada and British Columbia funded this project through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. The Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC delivered the program.

An anonymous private foundation, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the BC Cherry Association and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada provided additional funding.

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New research shows that endangered caribou are migrating shorter distances due to habitat loss and environmental changes.

Decades of data following the migratory patterns of endangered caribou show that migration areas have decreased significantly. Researchers are concerned that resource extraction is disturbing caribou habitats.

Dr. Clayton Lamb, a researcher with UBC Okanagan’s Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, led a team that recently published a paper detailing the migration patterns of several threatened caribou herds.

Their study, published this week in Global Change Biology, showed the caribou herds changed their migratory duration, distance or elevation over 35 years of radio tag tracking using very high frequency and Global Positioning System collars.

“Western science and Indigenous knowledge recognize the critical role of migration in sustaining abundant wildlife populations, yet these movements are increasingly disrupted by human activity worldwide,” says Dr. Lamb. “We studied the extent and type of migration as well as changes through time, and determined if these changes correlated with landscape disturbance or shifts in weather.”

The research team, which included representatives from Environment and Climate Change Canada, BC’s Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, and Alberta Environment and Parks, analyzed telemetry data for southern mountain caribou from 1987 to 2022.

Study data was collected from 1,704,842 caribou relocations of more than 800 animals across 27 southern mountain caribou subpopulations.

“The data shows that most of these subpopulations remain migratory to some degree, but seasonal migrations appear to be shrinking in both duration and extent,” says Dr. Lamb.

“Though our study spanned just 35 years—a blink compared to millennia caribou have been migrating here—we found migration eroding, not due to weather shifts, but alongside expanding human disturbance and caribou population decline.”

Migrating ungulates, like caribou, follow seasonally available foods, tracking gradients in rainfall, snow depth and safety from predators. Barren-ground caribou in the North American Arctic are known to complete one of the most dramatic migrations, with herds numbering in the hundreds of thousands, including pregnant females, moving 200–500 km each year between seasonal ranges.

While not as dramatic, southern mountain caribou migrations historically occurred vertically, up and down mountains, and horizontally between mountainous areas and lowland forests. But this appears to be changing, says Lamb.

“Due to their southern distribution, these caribou are exposed to higher levels of human-caused landscape disturbance and associated habitat change and loss. Observations from Indigenous communities, local people, scientists and government biologists indicate that southern mountain caribou migrations are changing or not happening at all.”

Dr. Adam Ford, Director of UBC’s Wildlife Restoration Ecology Lab and UBCO’s Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience and Ecosystem Services, is part of the research team and says habitat loss for the caribou is a definite threat to the survival of the species.

“Southern mountain caribou migration, including the distance and elevation change, has declined significantly over the past 40 years, and we believe these changes are correlated with human-caused disturbances, including change and loss to habitat,” he adds.

Dr. Ford noted in 1983, the average per cent of the landscape disturbed by human causes, including logging, reservoirs and oil and gas drilling activity, was about five per cent, while natural disturbance from fire and pests was 0.3 per cent.

By 2020, however, more than 30 per cent of that landscape was disturbed by human behaviour.

“Within the last 35 years, human-caused disturbance increased nearly sixfold within the ranges of the caribou subpopulations. Beyond impacts to migration, habitat disturbance—which has disrupted predator-prey dynamics—is a primary cause of caribou population declines,” says Dr. Ford. “It’s important to note the southern mountain caribou population declined by more than 50 per cent over the period of our investigation.”

Shrinking caribou populations and loss of their migratory behaviour indicate a landscape that isn’t sustaining caribou or their formerly adaptive migratory habits. During the observation period, researchers noted the near collapse of elevational migration for five southern caribou subpopulations.

“Sustaining caribou populations and their migratory behaviour into the future will require a rapid change in managing the landscape that facilitates extensive habitat conservation, restoration and a reduction in ongoing human-caused disturbance,” adds Dr. Lamb.

“Creating a landscape with suitable caribou habitats and lower predator densities that can once again sustain caribou is imperative to preserve their migratory behaviour and support recovery efforts.”

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Dr. Joshua Brinkerhoff speaks to attendees during a tour of UBCO’s H2LAB on Thursday, highlighting the lab’s cutting-edge hydrogen research and its potential for low-carbon energy innovation.

With its doors now officially open, UBC Okanagan’s new hydrogen research laboratory (H2LAB) is set to become a key hub for clean energy innovation in British Columbia.

The facility will support work around hydrogen blending, storage and real-world applications, researchers from both organizations said during the official opening on Thursday.

UBCO’s Vice-Principal of Research and Innovation, Dr. Suzie Currie, said the lab is a key step in fulfilling the university’s commitment to sustainable energy innovation and fostering industry-academic collaboration.

“H2LAB represents the future of clean energy research in British Columbia,” said Dr. Currie. “This facility is not just a research space—it’s a hub where academia and industry can work together to advance the real-world application of hydrogen technologies. With FortisBC’s generous support, we can help move this critical research forward and drive low-carbon energy solutions for the province and beyond.”

The 2,000-square-foot H2LAB, located in UBCO’s Innovation Precinct, will explore how hydrogen can be safely blended into natural gas supply systems and utilized across multiple industries, including aerospace, automotive and marine transport. The facility was established with $2.3 million in funding from UBC, supplemented by $500,000 from FortisBC and $800,000 from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

Dawn Mehrer, FortisBC’s Vice President of Corporate Services and Technology, reinforced the company’s commitment to hydrogen as a low-carbon energy source.

“Through innovation, FortisBC is taking steps to help reduce emissions while meeting the energy needs of homes and businesses across our province,” she said.

Following the opening remarks, attendees toured the H2LAB, where UBCO researchers showcased their ongoing work in hydrogen testing and material compatibility. UBCO researcher Dr. Dimitry Sediako highlighted the lab’s advanced testing capabilities, which include hydrogen permeability testing, fatigue crack growth analysis and other industry-critical assessments.

“Before H2LAB, this kind of hydrogen research wasn’t happening at this scale in Western Canada,” said Dr. Sediako. “Now, we have a facility that can conduct world-class testing and collaborate with industry partners to develop the materials and technologies needed for a hydrogen-powered future.”

UBCO’s hydrogen research is expected to have wide-ranging implications, from supporting clean transportation initiatives to enhancing the safety and efficiency of hydrogen energy infrastructure. With FortisBC’s support, the university is poised to become a key player in Canada’s hydrogen research landscape.

As the event concluded, Dr. Will Hughes, Director of UBCO’s School of Engineering, emphasized the lab’s role as an open, collaborative space for industry engagement.

“Today is all about celebrating the collaboration between FortisBC and UBCO—where we are, and where we are going, with hydrogen research,” said Dr. Hughes. “We’re proud to showcase this space and let industry and community know that it stands at the ready. Come and work with us. Bring us your challenges and opportunities. Be part of hydrogen innovation in the region. Our doors are open.”

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BARK volunteer Sam Levin, left, and Nava greet students at UBC Okanagan. A new study from UBCO’s School of Education found therapy dogs can ease feelings of loneliness. (Freya Green photo)

Therapy dogs not only help reduce student stress but also ease feelings of loneliness—an effect that appears to be particularly pronounced for international students, new research from UBC Okanagan says.

The research was led by Dr. John-Tyler Binfet, professor, UBCO’s School of Education and director of the Building Academic Retention Through K-9s (B.A.R.K.) program. In the study, researchers examined the impact of a drop-in canine-assisted intervention on more than 1,000 students.

Participants reported lower stress and loneliness levels after spending time with therapy dogs and their handlers, with international students experiencing slightly greater reductions in both measures compared to their domestic peers.

“This research reinforces what we already know about the benefits of therapy dogs on stress, but it also highlights their ability to combat loneliness — a growing concern among university students,” says Dr. Binfet. “Drop-in dog therapy programs offer an accessible way to create meaningful opportunities for students to connect and improve their wellbeing.”

Co-authors include BARK coordinator Freya Green, and student researchers Rebecca Godard, Madisyn Szypula and Amelia Willcox.

Unlike previous studies that set specific interaction times, this research allowed students to determine the length of their visit, with most staying around 32 minutes. The study also included both undergraduate and graduate students, providing a broader look at how different student populations respond to canine-assisted interactions.

While the findings support existing research on stress reduction, Dr. Binfet notes that loneliness has been less studied in this context. “The connection between stress and loneliness is well-documented, but our study adds to the understanding of how brief, informal interactions with therapy dogs can address both.”

“As a graduate student, I see firsthand how loneliness affects my colleagues,” says Szypula, a student researcher in the School of Engineering. “The 16% representation of graduate students in this study shows that we are equally in need of low-barrier mental health resources. Research like this is crucial in showing the importance of initiatives that encourage social connection and provide the support necessary for students to thrive.”

The research was conducted as part of UBCO’s long-running B.A.R.K. program, which has provided on-campus therapy dog sessions and conducted canine-assisted intervention studies for over a decade.

The full study, Keeping Loneliness on a Short Leash: Reducing University Student Stress and Loneliness through a Canine-Assisted Intervention, is published in Human-Animal Interactions.

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An investment from Fortis BC will provide even more opportunities for K–12 students to participate in UBCO’s Geering Up programs.

An investment from FortisBC is helping UBC Okanagan inspire more of tomorrow’s engineers, scientists, critical thinkers, change-makers and problem-solvers.

FortisBC is investing more than $150,000 over three years to support UBC Okanagan’s Geering Up program. This initiative is designed to inspire and engage youth in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.

The funding will allow Geering Up to increase its outreach and programming, providing more opportunities for students to explore STEM through workshops, camps and special events.

“Geering Up is all about connecting, inspiring and nurturing the engineers of tomorrow,” says Adam Cornford, Manager of Geering Up Okanagan. “FortisBC’s support will be instrumental in broadening the program’s reach to communities outside Kelowna—namely Penticton, Revelstoke and Kamloops to start. It will also help us develop and deliver new programming in conservation and sustainability. We will be simultaneously opening doors for more students and broadening the pathways for learning into some relevant areas, which is very exciting.”

UBC’s Geering Up program, which aims to spark curiosity and develop essential skills, offers students engaging, hands-on STEM experiences. The program reaches youths in nearly 50 communities annually, providing almost 5,000 K-12 students with opportunities to participate in STEM programs at UBC’s Okanagan and Vancouver campuses.

Juan Rincon, Program Manager of Community Programs for FortisBC, says the investment reflects the company’s commitment to fostering innovation locally and supporting the next generation of thinkers and leaders, particularly around energy efficiency and conservation.

As both the electricity and gas provider for the region, FortisBC—FortisBC Energy Inc. and FortisBC Inc.—sees advancing skills in this area as vital to meeting the province’s energy needs into the future as well as driving forward the overall emissions reductions required to achieve a lower-carbon energy future.

“We appreciate the work UBCO’s Geering Up team is doing to incorporate energy efficiency and conservation into its STEM programming which is an intrinsic part of sound engineering practices,” says Rincon. “We’re pleased to provide funding for this effort and hope it inspires local youths to become future leaders in this field.”

Building on its successful model in Kelowna, Geering Up will now look to partner with local school districts, libraries and communities to help bring its program to more students, teachers and parents. Geering Up is working toward rolling out the expanded programming in communities by mid-2025.

“Our goal is to build long-term relationships and pathways for students and educators in the communities we are working in,” says Cornford. “STEM topics can feel intimidating for many, and we want to help dismantle the misconceptions for students and also equip educators with new and exciting ways to integrate STEM into their classrooms and other community spaces.”

Geering Up offers:
• Summer camps for participants entering grades 1 to 12 at UBC’s Okanagan campus. Last summer, more than 325 youths participated in 36 camps in topics from aerospace to coding and robotics.
• Saturday clubs from January to April. Each session features new curriculum and hands-on activities led by UBCO undergraduate students.
• Professional development programming to help teachers bolster their STEM skills and knowledge.

“We are deeply grateful to FortisBC for its generous support of Geering Up,” says Dr. Will Hughes, Director of UBC Okanagan’s School of Engineering. “This funding will help us deliver innovative programming and inspire even more students to explore STEM learning and career paths. We want students to know that they can do this—that with the right support and empowerment, they can thrive in STEM programs from very early on in their education all the way through post-secondary.”

For more information about the Geering Up program, visit geeringupokanagan.ca.

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UBC Okanagan Drs. Michelle St. Pierre and Zach Walsh have created an index of cannabis equivalency to standardize dosing.

UBC Okanagan researchers Drs. Zach Walsh and Michelle St. Pierre have created an Index of Cannabis Equivalence (ICE), a unique approach to standardized cannabis dosing across different consumption methods.

Published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, this study represents a significant step towards establishing cannabis dosing guidelines comparable to the standard drink for alcohol.

“Different cannabis consumption methods can produce varied psychoactive effects, which makes it difficult to establish comparable doses across products,” explains Dr. St. Pierre, a member of the Therapeutic, Recreational and Problematic Substance Use Lab.

“The ICE addresses this challenge by providing user-informed equivalencies grounded in psychoactive effects, offering a practical framework to help individuals make informed decisions and better manage their cannabis use.”

The ICE proposes equivalencies for “low-dose” cannabis consumption based on user-reported experiences. An analysis of data from more than 1,300 participants aged 18 to 93 revealed these low-dose equivalents:

• Two puffs from a joint, pipe, or vaporizer.

• One 5 mg THC edible.

• A quarter dab of concentrate.

• One bong hit.

These equivalencies are based on data from individuals with low tolerance for cannabis, ensuring the guidelines prioritize safety and accessibility, particularly for new or infrequent users.

“By creating practical and user-centred guidelines, the ICE can support harm reduction, public health initiatives and consumer education while improving consistency in research and policy,” says Dr. Walsh of UBCO’s Department of Psychology.

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