VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – You have to be 19 to by alcohol here, but only 18 in next door Alberta; the minimum age for cannabis could also be different across the country once laws come into place.

One group wants to make sure weed isn’t offered to anyone below the age of 25.

That would be the minimum age, if SAM Canada was in charge.

Smart Approaches to Marijuana member Pamela McColl says she’s encouraged by a recent report to Canada’s task force on legalization and regulation.

“They’re also saying this should be a slow processs. The Canadian population is not educated on marijuana, the perception of risk is declining and so they may be well advised to take 10 years to do this,” says McColl, who believes this should be a health issue.

“One has ot simply look at logic. If you normalize a drug and say ‘hey, it’s okay for adults’, it’s more accessible, it’s available in stores, of course kids are going to get it. Twenty-three per cent of kids in Colorado get their marijuana from their parents.”

The task force is set to report back to the feds in the fall, with legislation expected to be drafted by the spring.