Pubdate: Fri, 16 Dec 2016
Source: Globe and Mail (Canada)
Copyright: 2016 The Globe and Mail Company
Contact:  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/168
Author: Daniel Leblanc
Page: A10

POT-PURCHASING AGE SHOULD MATCH DRINKING AGE, PM SAYS

I think the proposal for the age of 18, or 19 in some provinces, to
align with the [legal drinking age] across the country, is a
reasonable compromise. Justin Trudeau Prime Minister of Canada

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau agrees the minimum age to smoke
marijuana should be 18 or 19, in line with each province's drinking
laws, endorsing one of the most controversial recommendations from a
federal task force on legalization this week.

Mr. Trudeau said the task force, which was chaired by former Liberal
cabinet minister Anne McLellan, settled on the appropriate age to
limit the role of the black market in Canada. With these comments, Mr.
Trudeau rejected the calls of public health experts to set the minimum
age in the early or mid-20s to protect developing brains.

"I think the proposal for the age of 18, or 19 in some provinces, to
align with the [legal drinking age] across the country, is a
reasonable compromise," Mr. Trudeau said at a news conference. "We
know the main harm that comes from the consumption of marijuana occurs
at a younger age than 18 or 19, and I think this is a reasonable
approach that is balanced, practical and useful."

Mr. Trudeau's statements indicate the Liberal government is in overall
agreement with the task force's 80 recommendations.

"I want to thank the task force for the excellent work that they put
in the report, to make recommendations on the best way to move forward
while protecting our children from the easy access they currently have
to marijuana, and to remove criminal elements from the marijuana
market," he said.

The task force urged the government to allow Canadians to buy or carry
30 grams of marijuana for personal use, and to grow up to four plants
at home. The system it recommended would feature storefront sales and
mail-order distribution, and allow a wide range of producers to
operate legally, including "craft" growers and the current producers
of medical marijuana.

The Liberal government has promised to table legislation to legalize
marijuana in the spring of 2017.

A senior federal official said the time frame for launching the
recreational marijuana market in Canada will depend on the "readiness
of the provinces," which will regulate wholesale distribution and
retailing. The official said aiming for 2018 would be ambitious, with
2019 being more feasible.

Ms. McLellan's task force said an older age limit could fuel illicit
sales of cannabis, as people between the ages of 18 and 24 are among
the biggest consumers.

Medical groups had argued against the age of 18.

The Canadian Medical Association, pointing out that the brain develops
until about the age of 25, while acknowledging concerns about the
potential black market, recommended a legal age of 21 as a compromise.

The Canadian Paediatric Society called for limits on the concentration
of tetrahydrocannabinol in cannabis products available to people
between the ages of 18 to 25 because of its effect on developing
brains. It expressed disappointment that no limit will be placed.

Regardless of the legal age, medical experts agree the federal
government must adopt a strong public education and awareness campaign
to counter the myth that marijuana is safe. A 2013 Unicef report found
that Canadian youth are the biggest users of cannabis compared with
those of other developed nations.
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