Marijuana poses risks for developing brains and shouldn’t be sold to those under 18 or 19, group says.
The sale of recreational marijuana needs to be restricted to protect children and to discourage use by teens, the Canadian Paediatric Society is urging, as the federal government prepares to move forward with plans to legalize the industry.
In a position statement released Thursday, the medical group said the goal of its recommendations is to minimize harm for those most vulnerable.
“A very big issue, because of the rates of cannabis use in our adolescents, is for [parents] to have conversations with their older children and teens about the risks of marijuana on the developing brain,” said Dr. Christina Grant, statement co-author and a member of the society’s adolescent health committee.
The society points to a 2010 report by the World Health Organization that suggests about 30 per cent of Canadian youth have tried cannabis at least once by age 15 — highest among 43 countries and regions in Europe and North America.
Amina Zafar – CBC News – Nov 24, 2016.
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