The Ford government’s pot plans may have “unforeseen circumstances” for youth, says the organization representing all 35 of Ontario’s boards of health.

The Association of Local Public Health Agencies is recommending a limit to the number of cannabis stores, setting “buffer zones” around schools and other places and banning consumption in areas where kids hang out, Dr. Robert Kyle, the group’s president, told the legislature’s standing committee on social policy Thursday.

“The point of my presentation is to think more broadly than just the sales to minors and the penalties piece,” which the government is focusing on in its new legislation, Kyle said after speaking to the committee about Bill 36, which sets Ontario’s rules for legal cannabis sales.

“But I also think about what message do we want to send to future generations, particularly with availability ... and given also that cannabis can now be consumed where tobacco is consumed, which is outdoors,” he said.

Kyle, who has been a medical officer of health for more than three decades, said “that was my point — to think about the consequences of normalization and us, being on the eve of behaving in such a way that we are by our action or inaction, promoting a generation of nicotine and cannabis addicts.”

The agencies are urging the government to instead “go slow and keep the use as narrow as possible” before expanding access, he added.

“Once you make it wide open, reining it in is extremely difficult.”

Bill 36, which has passed second reading, makes a number of changes to the cannabis law rolled out by the previous Liberal government.

Although the public health officials “acknowledge that reducing or eliminating the illegal cannabis market is an important policy goal of the government ... we agree with the government that the protection of our kids is paramount, and should be as important — if not more so — than the economic interests of cannabis and vapour product retailers and suppliers,” said Kyle, whose organization is seeking no-store zones and a ban on cannabis and vapour products around locations kids frequent.

This week, the federal government announced $4.1 million for public education campaigns on cannabis use for youth in Toronto, and Ontario Attorney General Caroline Mulroney has also announced provincial awareness ads.

Also speaking to the committee Thursday was Warren (Smokey) Thomas, president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, who cited a public-opinion poll OPSEU commissioned showing that almost seven in 10 Ontarians are “concerned” or “somewhat concerned” about marijuana being sold to minors.

The poll of 1,000 Ontarians, by Nanos Research, also found two out of every three surveyed said they were “unlikely” to buy cannabis after Oct. 17.