OTTAWA—An editorial in the latest Canadian Medical Association Journal says the Trudeau government’s plan to legalize marijuana will put young people at risk by setting 18 as the benchmark minimum age for buying pot.
The article says cannabis has harmful effects on young brains, noting that the association recommends the legislation restrict the amount and potency of pot available to those under the age of 25.
The legislation sets 18 as the basic age for purchase and consumption, but allows provinces to raise that to coincide with their age limits for alcohol consumption. The government says the purpose of the legislation is to protect public health and safety, but the bill falls short of this objective, the editorial argues—especially when it comes to young people.
It also predicts that the legislation will result in a substantial increase in impaired driving, particularly among the young.
“Simply put, cannabis should not be used by young people,” says the editorial, which appears under the name of Diane Kelsall, the journal’s interim editor-in-chief.
