Cannabis: The Quebec ParadoxQuébec

The Trudeau government legalized cannabis in 2018 for people aged 18 and older. The province of Quebec, however, decided to restrict access to those aged 21 and older—the only province to do so. “We reacted very poorly,” said Pierre Leclerc, executive director of the AQIC. “With the exception of a few associations of medical specialists, virtually the entire public health community and the medical community specializing in addiction were in favor of 18—that is, aligning the age with the age of maturity or the age at which alcoholic beverages are accessible.”

He believes that “no one is going to wait until they’re 21” to obtain it, thereby risking products that are more harmful to their health.

“It’s the good old dealers, the good old pushers, who will systematically lead people toward substances that are much more dangerous than those available in Canada,” he emphasized in an interview with QUB Radio and TV, broadcast simultaneously on 99.5 FM in Montreal on Wednesday.

“It’s actually a completely dogmatic decision that runs counter to all public health principles—and to the very principles of legalization itself,” added Mr. Leclerc.

Limiting Access to Dangerous Product.

Whether the age limit is 18 or 21, the executive director acknowledges that there will always be minors who try to obtain cannabis products. But by raising the age limit, the proportion of these young people decreases, he said.

“The goal of the law was to move consumers away from the illicit market,” he explained. “So, is it better to keep young people in the unregulated market?”

According to the Association, there is no difference in consumption rates between Quebec and the other provinces.

“One significant impact, for example, is that by restricting this to young people and limiting the number of products available to consumers, we see that Quebec is where the highest percentage of THC-rich flowers are purchased and where there is the highest concentration of such products,” he said.

TO LISTEN THE FULL INTERVIEW: Qub.ca