FACT: Kids have easy access to pot. It’s time to regulate and legalize marijuana. Sign the petition if you agree.

Every day, our kids turn to dealers, gangs and criminals to buy marijuana, putting them in harm’s way. For them, buying marijuana is often easier than cigarettes.

In fact, an April 2013 United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) study found that at 28 percent, Canada leads the developed world in cannabis use among teenagers.

This is a shocking statistic. And it clearly demonstrates how the Conservative government’s continued prohibition of the substance is failing to keep pot out of the hands of Canadian youth.

The Liberal solution is clear: If we pass smart laws that tax and strictly regulate marijuana, we can better protect our kids, while preventing millions of dollars from going into the pockets of criminal organizations and street gangs.

It’s a position that even the New York Times is calling for in the United states.

Seven months after Colorado moved to regulate and tax the substance, marijuana prosecutions are down 77 percent, burglaries and robberies are down from a year ago, and the state has collected $23.6 million in revenue from taxes, licenses and fees.

The status quo isn’t working. Let’s keep marijuana out of our kids’ hands. Sign and share this petition if you agree.

If you need more information before pledging your support for this innovative policy, please read this blog post by Liberal Justice Critic Sean Casey.