Posted: October 17, 2018
Each day we are faced with a myriad of choices. Most are fairly simple in nature, the outcome of these choices, over time, helping to shape the routines of our lives. What to wear, what to eat, who to connect with through social media, whether or not to get some exercise? Other choices are more complex. Career choices, partner choices, whether or not to volunteer in our communities? Over time, these choices come to define us. Our choices are who we are. And today, the Canadian government has presented us with one more choice. Legal Cannabis.
On paper, the legalization of cannabis affects one hundred percent of our parents and zero percent of our students. Across the country, the legal age to purchase cannabis is out of range for all of our students. Selling or providing underage people with cannabis will remain a criminal offense. And yet, my concerns about legalization are not limited to those of age in our communities. The choices our teens make are influenced by the broader culture in which they live.
Legalization of cannabis has been a long and complicated journey in Canada. And, depending on who you talk to, the ramifications of this decision range from innocuous and relatively harmless, to dangerous and damaging to individuals and society.
The choice to legalize cannabis was just that, a choice. Which substances are legal and which are deemed illegal is a choice that governments around the world make. Some, like water, cheese, and apples, are legal to purchase and consume as well as being accessible to all citizens. Other substances, like tobacco, alcohol, and now cannabis, are legal, but regulated and restricted. Still other substances, like methamphetamine, are illegal, as governments have deemed the harmful effects to consumers and the broader society to exceed any benefits consumers might suggest.
As parents, in addition to being provides the legal choice to consume or not, you have the choice of how you will address the legalization of cannabis with your children. And this is where my greatest concerns lie. Our teenagers rely on their parents to help them navigate the social challenges of growing up. This includes everything from who they hang out with, what time they need to be home, whether or not they have a gaming console in their bedroom, whether or not they do their homework, and whether or not they smoke, drink, or do drugs. Raising teenagers in not easy. Legalizing cannabis simply adds to your responsibilities.
The legalization of cannabis does not make it legal for teenagers to purchase or consume cannabis. The government has not accepted responsibility for consumption of cannabis by underage youth. That’s on you, just like underage drinking.
The legalization of cannabis will most likely make access easier for teens, and the changing views of cannabis use in Canadian society will reinforce the view among some of our teens that cannabis use must be harmless. However, cannabis has been deemed a restricted substance, with the legal age to purchase in BC set at nineteen. The Canadian Medical Association recommends that health professionals, not cannabis producers or distributors, design cannabis labeling and packaging to emphasize the health risks associated with consumption. Whether or not producers and distributors will find ways to market cannabis to youth remains to be seen. A couple of years ago, e-cigs and vapes were marketed as ‘smoke-cessation devices’ to help smokers quit or to choose a less toxic alternative. And yet, somehow, the largest growing market for e-cigs and vape products are among youth, most of whom have never smoked tobacco cigarettes.
And so, your choices will affect your teenager’s choices. Are you prepared for the conversation? Have you done your research? Do you know the effects of cannabis on the developing brain? Are you informed? Do you know where to find out more about the physical and social-emotional issues facing your son/daughter regarding cannabis? What have you read or heard from health professional?
As adults, the legalization of cannabis involves more than just your choice to use or abstain. It also includes the choices to become informed or not, choices to engage in meaningful dialogue with your teenager around cannabis and the developing brain or not, and choices about how to help your child make healthy choices themselves. Please choose wisely.