Quebec firm on legal age for cannabis, but leaves wiggle room elsewhere

QUEBEC — The government has no intention of backing down on its decision to increase the legal age to consume cannabis from 18 to 21, says Premier François Legault.

But following a pitch to show more flexibility Tuesday by Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, Legault has indicated there may be some wiggle room on the government’s plan to drastically cut the number of public places where pot can be consumed.

He has speculated allowing edibles might be an option, because they do not produce smoke. Under the federal law, dried and fresh cannabis, oil, plants and seeds are legal.

Ottawa has said it will expand the range of edibles to include products containing cannabis and cannabis concentrates on or before Oct. 17, 2019.

The industry is rapidly developing such products.

“On age 21, we are inflexible,” Legault told reporters upon arriving for daily question period Wednesday. “It’s proven that it’s dangerous for developing children to consume cannabis, so I want to send a clear signal.

“Children, youth less than 25 years old should not consume cannabis. As for public spaces, we will finish hearing from people at the committee. We heard the message from the mayor of Montreal.

“We want to create a good framework. My objective is clear: I don’t want children in public spaces to be exposed to cannabis smoke.”

Asked if the government could amend the bill slapping new restrictions on consumption, which is now before the legislature, to allow the consumption of edible products in certain public areas, Legault left the door open.

“It’s something we can look at,” he said. “If there is no smoke that can go toward children, can accommodations be included?”

Legault made the comment as the sometimes rocky hearings into the Coalition Avenir Québec government’s proposed legislation on the issue, Bill 9, wrapped up Wednesday with a final group of witnesses.

Later, answering questions in the house, Legault seemed to water down his statement about concessions on public consumption, saying when he was an education minister he saw the “ravages” of cannabis in schools.

The minister responsible for the bill, junior health minister Lionel Carmant, made no indication at the end of the hearing process of plans to amend the bill. Nearly all the groups that appeared criticized it.

Carmant has taken heat from the opposition for not showing more flexibility and interest in alternatives to the CAQ’s original plan.

And he was caught Tuesday saying one thing in French and another in English on possible changes to the bill.

In French he said: “We aren’t backing away, this is clear.”

Moments later, in English, he said: “Who says I am not ready to backtrack on anything?”

On Wednesday, interim Liberal leader Pierre Arcand criticized Carmant’s handling of the bill, and especially his penchant for ignoring and refusing to debate with groups that don’t agree with his vision.

“It’s not very democratic on their part,” Arcand said.

The last few days of hearings were marked by plenty of criticism, too.

On Tuesday, Plante made a strong pitch for Montreal to be exempted from parts of the bill because it does not reflect Montreal’s reality and the fact 60 per cent of residents are renters.

The bill’s rules banning smoking in pubic spaces like parks and festivals, combined with landlords banning smoking in apartments, means Montrealers will have almost no place left to consume what is a legal product, Plante told the committee.

She said the government has to show flexibility and exempt Montreal. Carmant’s one concession after that presentation was that consuming edibles in public spaces might be a better idea.

The president of the Union des municipalités du Québec (UMQ) also waded in, warning of the perils of a one-size-fits-all bill, and said Quebec’s cities and towns are fine with the existing legislation, which leaves it up to them to decide where pot can be consumed.

On Wednesday the Fédération québécoise des municipalités said the same thing.

It’s unclear whether the government will allow edibles in public areas to replace smoking and vaping. There have been warnings from health experts that such products represent a whole other level of risk for consumers.

Last week the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ), which advises the government on health issues, warned that the legalization of edibles will result in a spike in consumption.

The products consumed contain a higher level of THC than traditional products.

Ingesting such products does not spark psychoactive effects for between 60 and 90 minutes, but they last longer — between six and eight hours.

The effects of smoking are felt in seconds and minutes after consuming and last between one and five hours.

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