Pubdate: Wed, 14 Dec 2016
Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2016 The Toronto Star
Contact:  http://www.thestar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/456
Page: A14
Referenced: http://mapinc.org/url/spC7LQBu

A SMART WAY FORWARD

Deciding to legalize marijuana was the easy part for the Trudeau
government. Seventy per cent of Canadians say they like the idea - in
principle. It's all those tricky details of exactly how to do it that
can trip you up.

Now a panel of experts appointed by the government has recommended a
way forward. It proposes a regime that would combine some decidedly
liberal elements - such as allowing 18-year-olds to buy pot - with
more restrictive measures - including a ban on most advertising. Taken
together, it's a smart package.

Setting the age for buying and consuming cannabis at 18 (or 19 if
provinces want to keep it in line with their legal drinking age) will
be the most controversial point. It runs counter to a recommendation
from the Canadian Medical Association that the age limit be put at 21
to avoid damage to developing brains. And most parents would no doubt
prefer that their 18-year-old kids not become stoners (or
binge-drinkers, for that matter).

But setting the age limit at 18 isn't a recommendation that kids start
that young. It's just a practical recognition that 18 to 20 is the
prime age for experimenting with pot, and banning young people from
getting it legally would be the best way to keep the neighbourhood
dealer in business. After all, they have no trouble buying pot on the
black market now.

There's a legitimate concern that legalization will "normalize" the
use of marijuana, making it seem just like having a beer, so more kids
will start using. It makes intuitive sense, but in fact what little
evidence there is doesn't support that fear.

In Colorado, which legalized recreational pot almost three years ago,
a big survey found that use among teens hadn't gone up - and has
actually dropped since 2009. And a new national U.S. survey finds that
drug and alcohol use among middle- and high-school kids is down, even
though more and more states are legalizing cannabis. The sky has not
fallen.

Still, the health concerns are real and the Liberal-appointed experts
are right to recommend sensible public health measures to mitigate the
harm that can be caused, much as is done with alcohol.

The panel proposes strict limits on advertising, with products sold in
childproof plain packaging and a prohibition on advertising to young
people. Those conditions would be tightest for so-called edibles,
including a ban on colourful packaging and candy products.

Importantly, some of the revenue from taxing marijuana would be
directed toward public education and research on health effects. More
money could also usefully be earmarked for addiction services for
young people, which are now scarce and expensive.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau seemed relatively relaxed about the
issue when he discussed it with the Star's editorial board recently.
He acknowledged the evidence of potential harm to young people, but
added that "I have a sense the worst damage is in the 12,
13,14-year-old range." And he quite rightly said the government has to
find "the maximal benefit in an actually enforceable system" - not set
unrealistic limits for fear of looking too permissive. In other words,
focus on what really works.

Some of the panel's other recommendations are less obvious. For
example, it would ban the sale of cannabis products in locations where
alcohol is sold. That would make it impossible for Ontario, for
example, to have LCBO outlets also sell pot. While sales should not be
restricted to provincial liquor stores, it should be an option -
especially since Ottawa plans to leave many details of distribution up
to individual provinces.

Another key concern is driving under the influence of cannabis. The
experts are right to underscore the importance of determining exactly
how to control that and developing reliable roadside screening systems.

Above all, the government needs to move quickly to sort out this and
many other thorny issues. The free-for-all now going on in the
marketplace in anticipation of the new rules is unacceptable. The
faster Ottawa puts in place a framework for legalization, the better.
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MAP posted-by: Matt