PROVINCE WOULD BE WISE TO RAISE LEGAL AGE FOR BUYING CANNABIS
I have a lot of concern about the legalization of cannabis but the main one is that I feel the minimum age has been set too low. When the rest of Canada’s provinces set the age to 19, what rationale did Quebec, initially, and Alberta use to set it at 18?
Having raised three children who are now adults, I can tell you that 18-year-olds don’t always make the right decisions for themselves and are just starting to mature.
Many parents have voiced their concerns to me, especially about their kids driving high.
Even though it’s illegal to drink and drive, the statistics speak for themselves: 15- to 19-year-old drivers make up only 4.6 per cent of total drivers in Canada but account for 19.5 per cent of fatalities and 22.5 per cent of serious injuries, according to Transport Canada. Of those fatalities, 55 per cent tested positive for alcohol/drug impairment, according to MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving).
Marijuana can impair perception and judgment and affects everyone differently. If they mistakenly think they’re fit to drive having only smoked or vaped a little bit, they could be in for a rude awakening, which could change their life forever.
Unfortunately, nearly onethird of teens surveyed did not consider driving under the influence of cannabis to be as bad as alcohol, MADD reported. The zero tolerance law adopted by the province, although a step in the right direction, is cold comfort as we all know it’s not going to be adhered to all the time.
My husband drives a motorcycle and he’s very concerned that he already has to deal with drivers who text and drive. Add this to the mix and it’s downright scary to be on that bike.
One small consolation is that if your adult children do decide to use marijuana and they’ve bought it from a government outlet, instead of their local drug dealer, the product is controlled and isn’t possibly laced with fentanyl or other poisons.
Another consolation is they will not be arrested and have a criminal record for possession that they must carry around for the rest of their life unless they or their parents spend thousands of dollars to have it expunged.
I hope this government follows up with their promise to use the tax dollars collected through the sale of cannabis to make their proposed education campaign a meaningful one, and not gloss over the adverse effects of cannabis use, especially on over-consumption: irritants to lungs and throat leading to bronchitis, periodontal problems, lack of motivation for school and work, (ask teachers who have tried to teach a class after lunch when lunch consisted of weed) and the effects on a still-developing brain.
Health Canada will have a credibility problem after telling youth for years to “say no to drugs” but now it’s supposed to be OK for adults.
This is an issue that screams parental involvement.
Be vigilant. Spend some time over the upcoming school break to discuss the issue when everyone is available, and you have their attention. It’s not going to be easy when our young, cool and hip prime minister, Justin Trudeau, has practically given cannabis his “Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval” and told 18-year-olds that they are old enough.
If you feel like I do that 18 is too young, drop a line to your MNA. I hear new Quebec Premier François Legault wants to raise the minimum age to 21.