Campaign on cannabis safety by Toronto Public Health uses tampons and maxi pads to make a “dumb” point

Emma Spears - thegrowthop.com Posted 5 years ago
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Toronto Public Health has released a new public service announcement about cannabis safety ahead of the opening up of legal pot shops in Ontario on Apr. 1.

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The short clip was released by the organization for its latest public education campaign. It features a small boy labouring over an arts-and-crafts project. When the mother views his work for the first time, she realizes that the work has been constructed out of coloured paper, markers, and feminine hygiene products. Instead of nurturing the young Tracey Emin’s artistic potential, the mother looks mortified.

“Kids get into everything, so always remember to keep cannabis locked up and out of reach of children,” chirps the announcer. “Ohhh…” the father trails in helpfully at the end upon viewing the multimedia masterpiece.

“We know that kids get into everything. This is why campaigns like this are so important to remind parents and caregivers that if they are intending to use cannabis, they should safely store their cannabis in a locked area and out of reach of children,” said Dr. Eileen de Villa, Toronto Medical Officer of Health, in a press release Monday.

“This public education campaign on cannabis by Toronto Public Health is critically important. While legalizing cannabis is long overdue, we must make sure we educate the public on the potential negative impacts, particularly for young children. That’s a public health approach to legalization,” Councillor Joe Cressy, Toronto Board of Health Chair said in a press release.

There are a few omissions and inaccuracies on the accompanying site. “Cannabidiol (CBD) is the chemical used therapeutically in medical cannabis products. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has psychoactive properties which affect the brain (mind-altering),” reads part of the first paragraph, which fails to mention that THC is also used medically and that CBD also has psychoactive (albeit non-intoxicating) properties.

1a Screen Shot 2019 03 26 at 10 Campaign on cannabis safety by Toronto Public Health uses tampons and maxi pads to make a dumb point

The short clip was released by the organization for its latest public education campaign. It features a small boy labouring over an arts-and-crafts project.

The site has sections with information about child safety, cannabis laws, health and impacts of cannabis use, driving, youth, and pregnant and breastfeeding individuals, with links to other government agencies and advice such as “Store all cannabis products in a locked  area and in child-resistant packaging” and “Make sure your child cannot see the cannabis or reach the locked area.”

“We’re excited to launch this new public education campaign to promote responsible use for people that consume cannabis. We know that cannabis is not a benign substance and evidence shows there is a range of potential health harms. This campaign uses a lighthearted and creative approach to promote an important message,” said Dr. de Villa.

Neither Dr. de Villa or Councillor Cressy made mention of the implied sexism of being embarrassed by some tampons and a maxi pad.

 

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