Marijuana is a "dangerous drug," Conservative leadership hopeful Kellie Leitch said Tuesday as she promised to undo the Liberal government's efforts to legalize it, should she become her party's leader and eventually prime minister.
There are too many public health and safety concerns surrounding marijuana for it to be legal, Leitch told The Canadian Press as the government prepares to table legislation later this week to legalize and regulate its sale.
Political Ottawa has been buzzing for weeks about what will be in the bill, expected Thursday. One key task-force recommendation that the government could act on is imposing an age limit of 18 on those who seek to buy it.
"Look, I will be reviewing it, but I'm a pediatric orthopedic surgeon — I have personal views on this that I feel very strongly about," Leitch said in a roundtable interview.
"I don't think that we should be legalizing this drug; this is a dangerous drug and I don't want it in the hands of children."
I have young people come to me as a physician and say 'You know, I don't understand, Dr. Leitch — I'm told not to do drugs, but can I do this drug now?" she said."
Legalization has strong upside: prof
"This is a way of responding to the reality of the fact that rates of use are extremely high in young people and we need to take an approach that acknowledges public health, acknowledges the approach of criminalization has not deterred young people from using it," Philpott said.
Benedikt Fischer, a University of Toronto psychiatry professor and senior scientist with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, said there are clear risks and harms associated with cannabis, but a strong upside to legalization from a public health perspective.
Trying to restrict its use to people aged 25 and up will only drive young people to the black market, he added.
"What will those people under 25 do if they are not allowed legal access?"
Kellie Leitch: Liberals' Pot Legalization Plan Will Be Scrapped If I Am Elected Prime Minister