Stephanie Lake

Stephanie Lake is a doctoral student in the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia and a researcher with the BC Centre on Substance Use at the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS. Using data from two cohort studies involving more than 2000 people who use illicit drugs, she is investigating how wide-scale cannabis legalization in Canada might impact use of opioids (e.g., heroin, fentanyl, and other prescription painkillers), engagement in the health care system, and a range of health outcomes (e.g., overdose).

Committed to translating her research into policy that will improve the health of people who use drugs and their communities, Stephanie has published numerous first-author studies in leading journals including _The International Journal of Drug Policy and Drug and Alcohol Dependence. Her commentary on guidelines for medical cannabis prescribing in Canada (Canadian Journal of Public Health, 2015) was reported in over 125 print, radio, and television media outlets across the country. She is also a frequent commentator in the media on the potential public health impacts of cannabis legalization in Canada -- most recently co-authoring an op-ed on cannabis impaired driving for the Vancouver Sun. In partnership with the New York State Department of Health, Stephanie recently developed a physician continuing education module on the evidence for cannabinoids in the treatment of HIV/AIDS symptoms and antiretroviral therapy side effects.

Stephanie sits on the national board of directors for the Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy (CSSDP), and serves as co-chair of its Vancouver chapter. She was a staff writer for the UBC Medical Journal from 2013 to 2016, and has worked on several projects for the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition including national reports, policy briefs, and community educational materials.

Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Health Science from the University of Ottawa and a Master of Science in population health from the University of British Columbia. Her commitment to the field has been recognized through several awards and distinctions including the Frederick Banting and Charles Best Graduate Scholarship from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Master's and Doctoral), a Four-Year Doctoral Fellowship from UBC, and the UBC/CIHR Bridge Fellowship.