Almost four years after the law came into force Quebecois of legal age for buy Cannabis at 21, drug prevention specialist believes that it is high time to reopen this debate.
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According to preliminary data from the 2023 Quebec Cannabis Survey, 22.6% of young people aged 15 to 20 have used cannabis in the last year (see table below).
“These young people are left to fend for themselves. They consume cannabis from the illegal market, whose quality and THC content are completely unknown and which is even more harmful to the brain,” points out Jean-Sébastien Fallu, professor at the School of Psychoeducation at the University of Montreal.
“I think it’s really time to ask the question again,” he adds.
Since January 1, 2020, Quebecers must be 21 years old to buy cannabis in branches of the state-owned company.
To justify its decision, the government relied in particular on the position of the Association of Psychiatrists of Quebec (AMPQ). Several studies cited showed that cannabis use increases the risk of developing psychosis by 40%.
The AMPQ also mentioned that the human brain continues to develop until the age of 25 and that regular inhalation of cannabis during this period, i.e. during adolescence and early adulthood, poses a great risk.
Unknown content
In Quebec, in 2022, half of consumers aged 15 to 17 (50%) know the cannabinoid content of the cannabis they primarily consumed in the previous year (see table below).
“Yes, there is damage to the brain, but the damage is even greater when we do not know what we are consuming and our cannabis contains heavy metals or mold,” specifies Mr. Fallu.
Jean-Sébastien Fallu, associate professor at the School of Psychoeducation at the University of Montreal. Decency
“An 18-year-old is considered mature enough to make risky decisions such as buying real estate, getting married, joining the military or consuming alcohol, but not mature enough for cannabis,” he adds.
Quebec is also the only province where the minimum age to purchase cannabis is 21.
Exposure to the illicit market
He said the ban not only exposes young people to the criminal market but also to other substances as sellers often offer multiple products.
“It’s not necessarily a good thing for society either, as it perpetuates the illegal market when so many young people have to go there to buy cannabis,” he explains.
Although he believes that a review of this law is necessary, he explains that it would be really surprising if the government started this process since it “turned a deaf ear to consensus even four years ago”.
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