The Quebec government is hearing a lot of ideas, worries and suggestions during its public consultations on the pending legalization of recreational marijuana that are being held today and tomorrow in Montreal.
The government is planning on tabling its marijuana bill this fall to prepare for the legalization of recreational marijuana by the federal government in July 2018.
The Quebec Federation of Medical Specialists called on the government to spend any tax revenue and more money on prevention and studies.
"We know that cannabis reduces fertility, we know that cannabis increases the risk of lung cancer and throat cancer so we need to know and the public needs to know what's going on," said federation president Dr. Diane Francoeur.
Groups like Quebec Fed of Medical Specialists want more money spent on prevention. Federation also wants legal age 21 and over. #CJAD #pot pic.twitter.com/hmFIeunpqv
— Shuyee Lee (@sleeCJAD) September 7, 2017
Francoeur said they also want the legal age for marijuana consumption to be 21 and up. The Canadian Paediatric Society is ok with the legal age being 18 and over but it wants more done to prevent marijuana use and abuse among youth, such as making sure edible marijuana products aren't marketed and don't get into the hands of children.
"It's easy to protect children against Drano and Javex and pills of their parents but much more difficult to protect them from candies and muffins," said Dr. Jean-Yves Frappier who presented a brief on behalf of the society.
Dr. Jean-Yves Frappier/Canadian Paediatric Society is ok w/ 18+ but wants more done to keep #pot use/ abuse from spiking among youth. #CJAD pic.twitter.com/nlYAIMLrj6
— Shuyee Lee (@sleeCJAD) September 7, 2017
Research clinic Altasciences stressed the importance of clinical studies to measure the levels of THC in the blood and the effect of marijuana consumption while behind the wheel - studies that could take as long as 18 months and cost as much as $28-million.
"Our concern is that there isn't enough research that currently exists that answers the questions in terms of what specific levels of THC in the blood and how that affects driving and specifically driving impairment," said general manager Marie-Hélène Raigneau.
Montreal 420 Tours said it wants to start up marijuana cafés, pot tours akin to wine tasting tours and pot-friendly lodgings but added that they'd also focus on responsible consumption.
Quebec Health Minister Lucie Charlebois asked whether such a business would trivialize the use of marijuana.
"The tourists will be here anyway, they will try the cannabis anyway so if we do an activity before, we can prevent something like ingestion (overdoses)," said co-owner Alexis Turcotte-Noel.
Montreal 420 Tours wants to start #pot café, tours akin to wine tastings, #pot-friendly lodgings but also focus on responsible use. #CJAD pic.twitter.com/sv8OxN5d9o
— Shuyee Lee (@sleeCJAD) September 7, 2017
Charlebois said she wouldn't give any opinions one way or another on anything that she'd heard so far to give a chance to everyone to chime in. Charlebois added that any law they table would likely be improved and tweaked later on.
Briefs are being presented in the province until September 12 which is also the deadline for filling out an online survey to express your opinion.