Last week Quebec proposed to raise the legal age of cannabis consumption to 21 in an attempt to safeguard developing teenage brains with a new law which will come into effect in January 2020.
It comes just days after Canada’s
second wave of cannabis legalisation, which permits the use and sale of
cannabis edibles and concentrates among other products.
The seemingly stricter pot laws in
Quebec compared to the rest of the country haven’t dissuaded citizens from
lighting up, with legal cannabis being a hit with people in the province since
being legalised in 2018 which is reflected in the fruitful profits the industry
produced. Within the first five months of legalisation the Government Cannabis
Store Network (SQDC) had sold $71 million worth of cannabis to Quebec citizens.
Despite the law not coming into effect
until January, a change of rules included in the new law will take effect this
week, these include the prohibition of cannabis consumption on public roads, in
bus shelters, under ‘big-top tents’ and in playgrounds.
The decision to alter the legal age
has hit a nerve with numerous Canadian citizens, who have been longing for more
relaxed cannabis laws.
But the issue of health is far more important than the potential revenue it may bring in. Cannabis use has strong links to mental health issues, especially in younger people who may have undiagnosed mental health illnesses or individuals predisposed to them.
Age limit
A government spokesperson said
65% of Québécois agreed with the new age limit, although some have said that it
will revitalise the illegal cannabis market in the region.
The province has underperformed in
regards to setting up legal bricks-and-mortar cannabis stores, with only 22 currently
in operation – something which increases the likelihood of the black market
prevailing regardless of the age limit.
The Quebec Cannabis Industry
Association (QCIA) has shown signs of resisting the new law, citing the
potential push of 18-21 year olds back to the black market as a serious concern.
The QCIA president Michel Temperio said
in a statement: “The government’s motives are surprising in this approach. Note
that public health officials and safety experts who advised the federal
government over the implementation of cannabis legalisation in the country, as
well as many Quebec organisations specialising in cannabis, have advocated for
a harm reduction approach by recommending that the minimum age be set at 18-
years-old.”
The Canadian Prime Minister - Justin
Trudeau - has also been critical of the new plan to raise the legal age limit, suggesting
that the decision will leave an opening for organised crime to flourish, which
undermines one of the federal law’s main aims which was to eliminate the black
market.
The Canadian Press learnt
that two anonymous public health organisations are currently planning to
suggest a compromise to the ban when the hearings take place in Quebec City,
with rumours of a plan to give gradual access to cannabis for those aged
between 18 to 20 to be recommended.
Mental health risks
Although raising the legal age to buy
cannabis may sway some to hold off from using it, there is the huge downside of
pushing those between 18-21 back to street dealers, where the product is mostly
of unknown origin and may be filled with toxins which are much more detrimental
to developing brains and the overall health of the user.
The Leaf Desk has previously covered
the topic of mental health and its link with cannabis. Research reports have
stated that cannabis use is inexplicably connected to a range of mental health
illnesses despite there being a lack of education regarding the matter.
Medical reports have stated that if
someone with underlying mental health illnesses such as schizophrenia or
bipolar smokes cannabis, it is far more likely for it to come to the surface
when it may have perhaps never come to the surface if not for smoking.
THC in high amounts can have serious
negative effects on those who are susceptible to mental health issues, and much
of the cannabis sold legally and illegally sits under this umbrella.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists reported
that the impact of cannabis on young people can turn into an extremely harmful
risk as they are still developing physically and mentally. The college stated
that “using cannabis triggers mental health problems in people who seemed to be
well before, or it can worsen any mental health problems you already have.”
Quebec’s unique law
When compared to the rest of Canada,
Quebec has a unique set of laws in reference to cannabis. Citizens are not
allowed to grow it in their own home and the province has one of the lowest
amounts allowed for home storage of processed cannabis within Canada, along
with it being illegal to sell weed edibles despite the new law in the country
allowing for the sale of cannabis consumables.
The province has recently been
delaying the process of allowing edibles to be legally sold in line with the
rest of the country, where some states allow for THC and CBD laced edibles,
drinks, vapes and creams amongst other goods to be legally sold in shops.
The previous Liberal Government had
allowed for the public use of cannabis in places where tobacco was also allowed
to be consumed however the new government, the Coalition Avenir Quebec has
other plans for making the weed laws much stricter with the ban.
Recently, a court ruling decided that
the prohibition of the cultivation of cannabis in the home was invalid and that
the legislation was unconstitutional because banning the practice could amount
to criminal legislation as it trespasses on the federal rights given to
Canadian people.
The Quebec government, however,
strongly disagreed with the ruling and is currently in the process of appealing
against it as they see the issue as a public health matter, with the province’s
junior health minister, Lionel Carmant suggesting
that allowing home grown cannabis would “normalise” the use of pot.
Carmant also pointed out that building
owners were adamant about not wanting their tenants to be engaging in cannabis
cultivation because of the potential damage to their properties it would cause
as a result.
