As the world watches the effects of the legalization of cannabis south of the border in Colorado and Washington state, many Canadians are debating the future of our nation’s most-used illicit drug.
Should marijuana remain criminalized? Should options such as the ticketing proposal brought forth by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police be examined by lawmakers? What would outright legalization look like? Where does marijuana for medical purposes fit into the picture — if at all?
As today — April 20 — has become a counterculture holiday in North America when people gather to celebrate and consume marijuana, the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse thought it important to bring forward some evidence-based information to help clear the smoke on cannabis, particularly when it comes to how Canadian youth view and use this substance.
According to UNICEF’s 2013 Innocenti Report Card, Canadian children aged 11, 13 and 15 had the highest rate of past-year cannabis use (28 per cent) in 2009-10 compared with children in other developed countries. And while past-year use has declined in recent years, it remains the most commonly used illegal drug among Canadians between 15 and 25 — about 2.5 times higher than that of adults over 25.
These statistics are concerning because research shows that youth represent a high-risk group for experiencing cannabis-related harms. Their brains are undergoing rapid and extensive development that can be negatively affected by cannabis use.
Chronic use can increase the risk of developing psychosis, depression and anxiety, not to mention respiratory difficulties and possibly lung cancer.
Beyond longer-term consequences, cannabis can impair cognitive and motor functions such as memory, perception, co-ordination and balance for hours after use.
Despite this, a study released last fall by CCSA revealed that our country’s young people are confused about cannabis and do not have the knowledge they need about the risks associated with this drug to make more informed decisions. Some expressed mistaken beliefs about the effects of cannabis, indicating that it helps to improve their focus at school and can prevent or even cure cancer. Youth also expressed mixed beliefs as to whether cannabis improves or impairs driving performance, and felt that smoking cannabis and driving was not as dangerous as drunk driving.
Moreover, youth often talked about how cannabis is natural, and so they don’t really think of it as a drug.
The findings from this research highlight the complexity of the issues surrounding youth consumption of marijuana. Young Canadians are confused with the mixed messages they are receiving, pointing to the need for a co-ordinated, comprehensive, factual and consistent approach to providing information. When asked themselves about how to best prevent cannabis use, youth in the study told researchers that “scare tactics” were ineffective, but that “fact-based” information at a younger age related specifically to marijuana would help them make more informed decisions.
To this end, CCSA has produced Canadian Standards for Youth Substance Abuse Prevention that help guide schools, communities and families in developing, implementing and evaluating effective prevention initiatives. And we will continue research over the coming years to clarify the impact of marijuana on the developing adolescent brain and to study drug-impaired driving among youth.
Criminalization, decriminalization, legalization and every option in between will certainly occupy the public discourse for the near future. CCSA encourages all Canadians to consider keeping considerations of the health risks of cannabis use at the forefront, as well as the short-, medium- and long-term consequences for Canada’s youth.
Michel Perron is CEO of the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse.
