[Samuel]

I have personally never looked at the consumption of cannabis as something positive, even if it were for leisure purposes, so its decriminalization is not positive to me. However, people who like it, would still consume it even if it were to be criminalized. It is this unsupervised consumption that causes problems. So it is better to decriminalize it and create supervised consumption centers in order to reduce harm. Five years after it’s legalization, I am still waiting to read the first scientific study.

[Holly]

So many great takeaways from Kathe’s blogpost! One of the most important things to remember as we move forward in our discussions around cannabis use is that knowledge + supportive communities = power. Empowering youth with information in an environment that feels real and authentic to their needs is by far the most effective way to promote smart, well-informed decision-making around youth cannabis use.

If you’re looking for even more up-to-date information about youth cannabis use after 5 years of legalization, I encourage you to read YouthREX’s latest Factsheet on the Legislative Review of the Cannabis Act – What We Heard Report. The original report was released by an Expert Panel tasked by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions to undertake a sweeping overview of cannabis in Canada in the 5 years since legalization. There’s lots of great stuff in there, but it is especially relevant for youth, parents, youth-workers, or anyone else who wants to learn a little more about youth cannabis use in Canada!

Want to know what the report says but don’t want to read all 120 pages? Go take a look at our Factsheet! https://youthrex.com/factsheet/take-5-legislative-review-of-the-cannabis-act-what-we-heard-report/

[Kathe]

As we reflect on five years of cannabis legalization (!), I wrote an article for REX Blog that summarizes key takeaways from the two-part community dialogue we co-hosted with community partners on 4/20 (April 20).

Through engaging presentations from youth sector initiatives and interactive breakout group discussions, we created space to collectively reflect on the lessons, emergent questions, concerns, and needs of young people in the five years since legalization – and considered how we might chart a path forward for the next five years.

Check out the seven key takeaways from our conversations at this event, which brought together more than 120 community stakeholders, and share your perspectives on these questions!