Addiction has a profound effect on the family. This has been the focus of many memoirs, media coverage of public figures with addiction, and importantly, of research into effective treatments - the long and short is, family members need guidance, scientifically grounded advice, and support to navigate the ups and downs of loving someone with this illness. In this episode, I share 3 key facts and recommendations to individuals who love or care about someone with addiction.

Many people use cannabis medicinally, especially now that it's so widely available. Using cannabis for this purpose can be very helpful, yet many people are unaware of which conditions it has been well studied for, and which conditions it might be less helpful for or could even worsen with heavy use. In this week's episode I provide a brief overview of the current science and regulatory approvals for medicinal cannabis.

According to recent research, there are serious health risks related to cannabis use, including premature death. As increasing evidence points to health complications of cannabis use, there is one theme threaded throughout - these adverse effects are observed among people who use frequently and heavily and develop a cannabis use disorder. Today I discuss how and why we understand cannabis to be an addictive drug, and what you can do about it if you or someone you care about is addicted to cannabis.