Ottawa (April 13, 2017): Cathy McLeod, Member of Parliament for Kamloops – Thompson – Cariboo, today challenged the Liberals legislation that will legalize marijuana.
“This legislation won’t keep pot out of the hands of kids, it is a promise to pot smokers and not parents,” said McLeod. “Unlike the Liberals, the Conservative Party of Canada has adopted the same approach as the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, to make minor marijuana possession a ticketable offence.”
“One of the main reasons the Liberals claim legalization is necessary is because Canada’s youth are smoking more pot than ever,” said McLeod. “This isn’t true. In fact, programs to encourage kids to stop using marijuana have been working. The Canadian Centre for Substance Abuse says that for youth ages 15-24, marijuana use has dropped from 33% to 24%.”
“Further, the proposed age of possession of 18 goes against the Canadian Medical Association evidence which shows the brain is still undergoing major development up until the mid-twenties and marijuana can interfere with this development,” stated McLeod.
The list of unanswered questions grows as you study this legislation:
“I will continue to raise serious questions as Justin Trudeau’s plan to bring pot to corner stores across Canada moves forward,” concluded McLeod.