"Youth Access Has Increased After Legalization"
Experts Emphasize the Need to Protect Adolescents at High Risk of Dependence
A study has found that youth cannabis use has increased in Canada following the legalization of cannabis for adults.
According to reports from CNN and other international media outlets on the 27th, the medical journal 'AMA Network Open' stated that, after cannabis was legalized in Canada, the rate of cannabis use among adolescents increased by 26%, and the use of edibles rose by 43%.
Canada became the second country to legalize cannabis after Uruguay. In 2018, Canada legalized the use of dried cannabis for adults, and a year later, it permitted the sale of cannabis edibles and extracts in all provinces except Quebec. Unlike the United States, where cannabis laws vary by state, cannabis is legal nationwide in Canada.
As a result, the size of the cannabis market, which was 6.4 billion Canadian dollars before legalization, reached 10.8 billion Canadian dollars in 2023. The number of retail stores also increased significantly, from 182 at the end of 2018 to 1,500 at the end of 2020, and more than 3,300 stores were operating in the first half of 2023.
According to a 2021 survey by Statistics Canada, 22% of Canadians aged 15 and older reported having used cannabis in the past year. This figure was 5.6% in 1985, rose to 14.8% in 2017, and has been increasing at a much faster rate since legalization.
By age group, as of 2021, the proportion of cannabis users was highest among those aged 18 to 24, at around 40%. Specifically, 15.6% of those aged 15 to 17, 39% of those aged 18 to 24, 18.3% of those aged 25 to 44, and 8.2% of those aged 65 and older reported having used cannabis in the past year.
The newly released study analyzed that legalization may have increased access to cannabis for adolescents under 18. It suggested that legalization has led young people to perceive cannabis as less risky.
For this reason, some experts point out the long-term health and addiction issues for adolescents who use cannabis. Hai Nguyen, a professor at the School of Pharmacy at Memorial University of Newfoundland, said, "Given previous literature on the long-term health effects of adolescent cannabis use, this study is significant."
Neurologist Joshua Gowin pointed out, "Using cannabis from adolescence increases the likelihood of developing a dependence disorder." He added, "The earlier cannabis use begins, the harder it is to change its course. Some studies suggest that using cannabis from adolescence, especially excessive use, can affect brain development."
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cannabis can actually affect areas of the brain responsible for learning, decision-making, and emotional regulation. Moreover, using cannabis from a young age can increase the risk of long-term mental health problems, such as depression and, in adulthood, schizophrenia.
Professor Nguyen argued that policymakers should focus on finding the right balance between adult access and youth protection.
Medical cannabis is currently legal in more than 56 countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia. Japan also allowed the use of CBD in 2023, and France is currently in the process of amending its laws to legalize it. South Korea allowed the limited use of CBD treatments in 2019.
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