Canada Sets Minimum Age for Cannabis Consumption at 18

Canada’s nationwide measure to legalize cannabis is expected to pass Parliament next year. The legislation introduced last month allows Canadian provinces to set their own minimum age for cannabis consumption, at 18 or older. A handful of health officials worry about the provision and the developmental stages of young adults who consume cannabis.

On April 13, Prime Minister Trudeau unveiled the long-awaited legislation, the Cannabis Act, to legalize recreational cannabis in Canada. Those who provide cannabis to minors under the age of 18 would be strictly punished and could face up to 14 years in prison.

In the provinces of Quebec, Alberta and Manitoba, the minimum age for purchasing alcohol is also 18 years of age. In other provinces, the minimum age is 19. American teenagers who live near the Canadian border already cross borders to gain access to alcohols and bars. In most nations, 18-year-olds are legally considered adults. Uruguay, like Canada, also sets the minimum age for cannabis consumption at 18.

Canada’s highest rate of cannabis consumption ranges from 18 to 24. “Taking this business away from them I think is an obligation,” former Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair, parliamentary secretary to Canada’s justice minister, told the Associated Press. Blair oversees Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s plan to legalize cannabis in Canada.

Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott said the “no produce is without risk,” adding that tobacco and alcohol are legal but pose serious health risks. “Just because a product is legal it does not mean it is advisable or recommended to use that product,” Philpott said. Other health advocates suggest doing more to educate minors about the risks, regardless if cannabis is legal or not.

Dr. Granger Avery, president of the Canadian Medical Association, however, recommends postponing the age minimum as long as possible, and preferably the age of 25. Officials, however, have said that the $2-6 billion Canadian police have spent on cannabis enforcement has done nothing to deter teen cannabis consumption in Canada.