Philpott said the government of Canada has chosen this course for two reasons.

The first, she said, is the government believes legalization and strict regulation will keep marijuana out of the hands of youth.

The second reason, she said, is the government believes this action will take money away from organized crime.

Philpott said the proposed legislation acknowledges the reality that Canadians are among the highest users of marijuana in the world and seeks to make that reality safer.

“When young people do use cannabis they are buying it from people who are very likely associated with criminal organizations. They are buying products that are unregulated and they are buying products from people who might also be selling other substances, which are potentially much more dangerous than cannabis,” said Philpott.

“We are taking a public health approach to this, which is something that maximizes education and minimizes harm. There is very much a strong focus on education and some of that has already started.”

Philpott and Oliver heard a variety of questions concerning the legislation.

Oakville Town Coun. Nick Hutchins asked questions about where the tax revenues from cannabis sales would be going and whether municipalities would be getting some of that money for things like infrastructure projects.

Philpott noted no decisions have been made yet with regard to what specific areas these revenues will be directed.

“We do hear from many people who believe it would make sense to use revenues generated to fund public health campaigns and research campaigns,” said Philpott.

“There is a huge need for more research about not only the potential harms associated with cannabis, but the benefits associated with the cannabinoid part of cannabis.”

Other speakers voiced concerns about pesticides used by Health Canada on marijuana plants, while another resident called for the accommodation of “craft growers” who want to be legally allowed to grow more than four plants for the marketplace.

Philpott said many craft growers are in the process of applying to become legally licensed producers.

“We fully expect that the number of licensed producers will expand significantly and that there will be producers of all sizes, some large, some small similar to what you see in the beer industry,” she said.

Another resident voiced concerns that under the proposed bill if an adult gives marijuana to a youth under the age of 18 that adult can receive up to 14 years in prison.

One young woman commented that her Mississauga middle school was nicknamed “The Pharmacy” and said she believed legalization would ultimately have no impact on who does drugs and who doesn’t.

“Young people who are going to go after cannabis or other substances are going to go after it whether it is legal or not. They will find it,” she said.

“The people who aren’t going to buy it are still not going to buy it whether it is legal or not.”

Oliver and Philpott also heard from a number of residents who voiced concerns about the path the government is taking in this area.

Oakville’s former Conservative MP and chair of the public advocacy group Drug Safety Canada Terence Young called the idea that the legislation would keep money out of the hands of organized crime “ridiculous.”

He noted criminal gangs make huge amounts of money off marijuana sales in Canada and will not simply stop if the drug is legalized.

Young added that despite legalization many people would still choose to buy marijuana from these sources.

“Given the choice between going to a government-approved store to buy marijuana, where your boss might see you go in and out, and getting it from your friendly dealer who delivers it to you or your local pub 25-30 per cent cheaper — many people are going to take the second route,” said Young.

Young also argued that allowing people to have up to four marijuana plants in their homes would make marijuana use among young people more prevalent, not less.

He is calling for this bill to be pulled from parliament and reworked.

Oliver said there has been extensive consultation with the Association of Chiefs of Police, the Canadian Police Association, the Canadian Bar Association and the Canadian Association of Police Governance concerning the legislation.

He said there is general agreement some action has to be taken.

Former Oakville councillor Sean Weir called for the decriminalization of cannabis so that people would stop getting criminal records for its possession, but said the government should not be moving toward legalization and regulation.

Oliver noted decriminalization would not drive out the black market aspect to marijuana and would not result in the regulated production of marijuana in licensed centres so people actually know what they are getting.

Another resident voiced concerns about the potential health impacts the legalization of marijuana could have on Canada’s youth.

She noted more information is needed about impacts of smoking marijuana particularly when it is known that the brain does not stop developing until a person reaches their mid-20s.

The potential link between marijuana and the development of mental health issues is another area, which she said needs to be looked at further.

She also voiced concerns about marijuana being a gateway drug for some and noted with Canada in the middle of an opioid crisis this could pose a real danger for young people.

Philpott agreed more research is needed and said she hoped to find more opportunities for that work through the Canadian Institutes for Health Research.

She said concerns about cannabis being a gateway drug have been largely dismissed by research.



