I work on complex health problems
I am interested in how we translate evidence into sensible policy and practice. I spend my time focused on making complex health challenges more understandable, governable and actionable.
Cesar Leos-Toro is a global health scientist focusing on mental health, substance use, health policy, and emerging health-system challenges. He brings more than a decade of experience working across academic, governmental and international settings, including providing technical expertise within the United Nations system (WHO, UNODC, UNESCO) and public health institutions in Canada, Switzerland and internationally.
Cesar's research and policy work has focused primarily on substance use and mental health and its intersection with population health policy. His work has included cannabis (development of International Cannabis Policy Study Pilot) and alcohol policy, substance use surveillance, health risk communication, prevention, substance use disorders, concurrent mental health conditions and measurement-based approaches to care.
More recently, his work at the Canadian Centre for Substance Use and Addiction has expanded into emerging questions at the intersection of health, technology and systems transformation, including responsible artificial intelligence in mental health and substance use health care, health governance, implementation and the translation of evidence into practical guidance.
He received his PhD from the University of Waterloo's School of Public Health & Health Systems where his doctoral research focused on aspects of Canadian cannabis control regulations and the impact that its legalization has on population health. He continued on to a post-doctoral position at the Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development - University of Zurich and was in the inaugural cohort of the Council of Europe - Pompidou Group’s International Academy of Drug Policy Programme.
Take a look at his dissertation entitled: “Health Warnings, Cannabis Marketing and Perceptions among Youth and Young Adults in Canada”
25.08.2026