TORONTO, Jan. 10, 2019 /CNW/ - With the recent legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada, a major gap has been revealed, and that is a lack of scientific research on the health effects of its use – both on the recreational and medical side.

The Lung Association – Ontario and Tetra Bio-Pharma are excited to be partnering to fill that gap by funding a research program that will investigate various health impacts of cannabis use. The goal of this program will be to better support patients and healthcare providers with evidence-based information.

"It has become very clear that more research is needed to fully understand both the effects of smoking cannabis on your lungs, and the utility of medical cannabis as a viable option for chronic disease pain management and treatment," says George Habib, President and CEO of The Lung Association – Ontario. "The Lung Association is thrilled to be taking the lead in filling these gaps in knowledge."

The results of these important research projects will ensure there is a larger evidence-base to pull from when educating the public and healthcare providers about the impact of cannabis use on lung health. It will offer healthcare providers more resources to better inform the decisions they make on behalf of their patients around the use of cannabis.

"Tetra Bio-Pharma is excited to join forces with The Lung Association – Ontario to expand knowledge on the impact of smoking a cannabinoid-derived product through several pioneering research projects," said Dr. Guy Chamberland, CEO and CSO of Tetra Bio-Pharma. "Access to cannabinoid-derived medical therapies is severely limited because of an absence of rigorous safety and efficacy data. We are committed to supporting research excellence to enable innovation but also to establish the evidence that regulators, physicians and insurance companies are waiting for."

The research funded as a result of this collaboration will be driven by The Lung Association – Ontario. It will be fully peer reviewed and administered in a completely arms-length manner from the Funder. Funding recipients will be announced on March 28, 2019.

About The Lung Association – Ontario                                                      
The Lung Association – Ontario is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping all Ontarians breathe. Our community of donors, patients, researchers, volunteers and professional staff work to ensure Ontarians have healthy lungs, bodies and clean air necessary to breathe. We achieve this by promoting healthy breathing, supporting those living with lung disease and finding future solutions. All of this is done with the goal of delivering a future of better breathing for all.

About Tetra Bio-Pharma Inc.
Tetra Bio-Pharma (TSX-V: TBP) (OTCQB: TBPMF) is a biopharmaceutical leader in cannabinoid-based drug discovery and development with a Health Canada approved, and FDA reviewed, clinical program aimed at bringing novel prescription drugs and treatments to patients and their healthcare providers. The Company has several subsidiaries engaged in the development of an advanced and growing pipeline of Bio Pharmaceuticals, Natural Health and Veterinary Products containing cannabinoid-derived molecules and other medicinal plant-based elements. With patients at the core of what we do, Tetra Bio-Pharma is focused on providing rigorous scientific validation and safety data required for inclusion into the existing bio pharma industry by regulators, physicians and insurance companies. For more information visit: www.tetrabiopharma.com.

SOURCE Ontario Lung Association

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