The Canadian Paediatric Society has issued a warning about the “many potentially harmful effects” of marijuana on the developing brain. As the Canadian government prepares to legalize the recreational use of cannabis, the doctors are urging strict controls to limit its use among young people.
Risk for psychosis
A newly-released position paper warns that Canadian youth are at significant risk for abusing and becoming dependent on the drug. It adds that using it can possibly double their risk of having a psychotic illness.
The paper also hold that driving under the influence of cannabis increases the risk of road accidents, and says that were the drug has been legalized in the U.S. children are requiring more medical care due to accidental ingestion.
Among the recommendations:
-prohibit the sale of cannabis to those under the legal drinking age, that is 18 or 19 depending on the province.
-consider limiting the concentration of THC in products sold to 18- to 25-year olds.
-limit marketing, sales locations.
-mandate and enforce package warnings and strict labelling standards.
The World Health Organization reported in 2010 that 30 per cent of Canadian youth had tried cannabis at least once by age 15. That was the highest rate among countries in Europe and North America.
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