The head of a major Canadian medical journal says that the Liberal government’s marijuana legalization bill shouldn’t pass through Parliament because it could harm the health of young Canadians.

In an editorial published Monday, the interim editor-in-chief of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, Dr. Diane Kelsall, argues that the government is ignoring the health risks marijuana poses to the developing brain and that the minimum legal age is too low.

“The government appears to be hastening to deliver on a campaign promise without being careful enough about the health impacts of policy,” she wrote. “If Parliament truly cares about the public health and safety of Canadians, especially our youth, this bill will not pass.”

The government has argued that the new bill will prevent youth from getting access to marijuana and divert funds from organized crime.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last December that 18 would be an appropriate minimum legal age for marijuana consumption. He called it a “reasonable compromise,” noting that many Canadians younger than 18 already smoke marijuana. Provinces will also ultimately have the option of individually raising the age limit within their own jurisdictions.

Dr. Kelsall argues that the government should set a national standard for retail distribution, raise the minimum legal age, and ban home growing plants to prevent youth from accessing cannabis and developing a dependence or other substance abuse issues.

“Most of us know a young person whose life was derailed because of marijuana use,” she writes. “Bill C-45 is unlikely to prevent such tragedies from occurring and, conversely, may make them more frequent.”

Conservative health critic Colin Carrie has repeatedly raised concerns over the government’s proposed age limit because past research has suggested marijuana can affect the developing brain up to the age of 25.

Dr. Kelsall noted that the Canadian Medical Association recommended a legal age of 21 with restricted potency amounts for those under 25, which would be a more “pragmatic” approach to legalization.

Responding to those concerns Monday, Health Minister Jane Philpott told reporters outside the House of Commons that research has shown 30 per cent of youth aged 20-24 are already using cannabis, and are “buying products that are untested and unregulated from people selling products other than just cannabis.”

“Making the product legal is in recognition of the fact it will be of benefit to those young people if we have a regulated approach where we maximize education and minimize harms,” she said.

Bill C-45 is currently at second reading stage in the House of Commons.