Pubdate: Wed, 24 Feb 2016
Source: Ottawa Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2016 Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact: http://www.ottawasun.com/letter-to-editor
Website: http://www.ottawasun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/329
Page: 12

KIDS CAN'T BE POT AFTERTHOUGHT

They promised it during the election campaign and again in the throne
speech. They've even got a former cop, Bill Blair, to head up the
process. Yet there's little evidence so far the federal Liberals are
paying much attention to the dangers marijuana legalization will pose
to the young.

As experts told a public forum in Ottawa this week, marijuana is
downright unhealthy for the adolescent brain. More and more evidence
suggests cognitive damage for youths who use it often, and the younger
they are, the worse that damage is.

"Earlier is worse, because the teenage brain is still developing and
it seems like cannabis is hijacking that development. That is the
problem," said Dr. Andra Smith, a neuroscientist at the University of
Ottawa. "Just because it is legal doesn't mean it is a benign drug."

In fact, marijuana can change the brain's architecture, and frequent
use by the young is correlated to lower test scores and performance in
school. Studies link teen pot use with psychosis and
schizophrenia.

The government needs to tell all Canadians how it plans to sort out
protection of the young.

Despite the change of government, from the tough-on-drugs Stephen
Harper Tories to the more free-form Liberals, the public prosecution
service confirms that it is indeed following the guidelines in its
2014 manual, and that manual says prosecutors must ask for the
mandatory sentence on drug offences where the facts support it.

Good. At least someone's brain is still functioning.

In the meantime, we'll give the federal justice minister a sliver of
credit. Jody Wilson-Raybould said this week that while the government
still plans to legalize marijuana usage, "until Parliament has enacted
new legislation to ensure marijuana is carefully regulated, current
laws remain in force and should be obeyed."

Yes, the cops and the Crown can keep doing their jobs.

Wilson-Raybould also pledged to keep marijuana "out of the hands of
children and the proceeds out of the hands of criminals."

But the question remains: How? These are our kids you're talking
about.
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MAP posted-by: Matt