While we agree that the inclusion of youth voices in the creation of a new regulatory regime for cannabis is vital, there has been a lot of discussion on how to engage youth in meaningful ways in this debate. We’ve heard from various groups on what restrictions and regulations should look like — the CMA, for example, just released their recommendation of age restrictions as high as 21 — but we have heard less from young people themselves.
On September 7, 2016, Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy (CSSDP), with support from Lift and the International Centre for Science in Drug Policy (ICSDP), organized a youth roundtable to collect input on the key issues relevant to young people regarding cannabis legalization. Held in downtown Toronto, over 21 diverse youth and young adults ranging from 18-29 years old shared their time, experiences, and thoughts on what best practices around cannabis legalization should look like.
There were a variety of young people in attendance. While this does not cover the wide range of youth in Canada, attendees came from varying backgrounds and experiences. Some were postsecondary and graduate students, some identified as cannabis users, as well as non-cannabis users, others use cannabis medically under the Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR) or the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR). There were also youth who work with at-risk and homeless youth, others who provide peer-to-peer education through local harm reduction initiatives, youth who work or have worked in the illicit or grey market, and young people who work or have worked with a Licensed Producer.
In addition to the youth participants, the roundtable also hosted Dr. Catherine Zahn from the Task Force on Marijuana Legalization and Regulation, Daphne Jurgens, Senior Advisor for The Cannabis Legalization and Regulation Secretariat, as well as visits from the Honourable MP Adam Vaughan and Honourable MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith.
The conversation was structured around four topics that reflected youth-relevant issues, as well as the Task Force Discussion Paper more generally, including 1) Age Restrictions; 2) Criminalization of Youth; 3) Prevention and Education; and 4) Production, Distribution, and Access Restrictions.
“There was an acknowledgement that idea of “restricting” use, while often framed as a way to keep young people safe, could actually result in the further criminalization of young people for cannabis related charges.”
Not surprisingly, participants were very aware of the intersection of race, socioeconomic status and other social factors with the prohibition of cannabis in Canada. Attendees shared stories of instances where discretion around enforcement often led to the unequal application of the law. There was an acknowledgement that idea of “restricting” use, while often framed as a way to keep young people safe, could actually result in the further criminalization of young people for cannabis related charges.
While the effects of a criminal record for cannabis can be devastating for any Canadian, these effects are exacerbated by other social conditions. At-risk youth and minority youth, for example, have felt these effects the hardest, where even considerations around decriminalizing and implementing fines would have to be examined more closely, and could further disadvantage at-risk populations who may not be able to pay fines.
It was also interesting that young people used what they know about substance regulation, primarily alcohol and tobacco, to frame what they saw as tangible policy outcomes in a comprehensive legalization framework.
For example, where we thought young people would have varying views on age limits, many of their conversations started with, “It should be as low as possible but if I had to pick an age…” This signals that young people are conscious of what they feel would be a reasonable framework — rather than a “free for all” — one which would maximize public health, but not overly restrict and criminalize youth, and Canadians more broadly.
Further, the development of realistic education was also a priority for participants. While some attendees were unable to recall the drug education received in high school, others could only remember “D.A.R.E” type abstinence programming, and couldn’t recall much cannabis-specific education in particular. It was clear these participants agreed that education and science-based facts to help youth make informed decisions around use are important links to comprehensive policy, but felt they should incorporate harm reduction for those who do choose to use cannabis, should not include any moral judgement about use, and should be delivered by someone “relatable” — which in many cases would not be a teacher or enforcement officer.
This discussion was translated into a 26 page out-document, which expands on the ‘Ten Main Recommendations’ for the Task Force to consider when discussing what it really means to “protect youth”:
Age restrictions around cannabis access should be as low as possible, with the recommendation of not exceeding legal drinking ages across provinces.
Medical access to cannabis should remain a separate system without age restrictions, but should require physician support.
Youth offenses outside the regulated system should be decriminalized. Criminal sanctions should be replaced with alternatives such as mandatory education, fines, and/or community service.
Past youth criminal records for simple possession and sale of cannabis should be expunged.
Cannabis education should prioritize the development of youth’s “cannabis literacy” by including evidence-based assessment of risks, harm reduction principles, and not passing judgment on use.
Cannabis education should start as early as possible with age-appropriate content, be created with the input of youth and young people, including those who use cannabis, and delivered by a trained facilitator or peer.
Home cultivation of cannabis should be permitted under the new regulatory regime.
Cannabis should not be distributed alongside alcohol, as this would likely exacerbate public health concerns associated with polydrug use.
Distribution of cannabis should include the provision of cannabis education to patrons
People with past non-violent cannabis-related charges should be permitted to participate in, and benefit from, the new legal market for cannabis.
For more information, you can access the full report here.
– Jenna Valleriani and Dessy Pavlova
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