Canada's Cannabis Legalization with Strict Public Health Control Lessons for Germany?
3
Issued Date
2023-02-01
Resource Type
ISSN
09395911
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85148057962
Journal Title
Sucht
Volume
69
Issue
1
Start Page
15
End Page
18
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Sucht Vol.69 No.1 (2023) , 15-18
Suggested Citation
Rehm J., Sornpaisarn B. Canada's Cannabis Legalization with Strict Public Health Control Lessons for Germany?. Sucht Vol.69 No.1 (2023) , 15-18. 18. doi:10.1024/0939-5911/a000801 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/82686
Title
Canada's Cannabis Legalization with Strict Public Health Control Lessons for Germany?
Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Aims: To describe the impact of the legalization of cannabis for recreational use under strict public health control in 2018 on the following outcomes: cannabis use and use patterns, attributable harm, economic considerations. Methodology: Narrative review based on government documents, surveys, and published literature. Results: The 12-month prevalence increased after legalization and has decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Little change in prevalence for adolescents. Persons with daily use remained stable. No rigorous studies on changes in attributable health harm, but some indication that harm, as measured in prevalence of cannabis use disorders, treatment rate, and attributable traffic injury remained stable. No data yet available for cancer. Cannabis attributable emergency visits increased, including among children (poisoning). Cannabis-related offences decreased as biggest public health gain. Economic predictions were not realized, and there is some pressure from cannabis industry to loosen public health regulations in order to increase use. Conclusions: Overall, while not achieving its main objectives of more youth protection and decreases in cannabis-attributable health harm, legalization with strict public health control resulted in less cannabis-related offences and up to now did not seem to increase cannabis-attributable disease burden.