Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.
Five years later, researchers say the impacts of legalizing cannabis in Canada have been mixed
Five years after Canada's move to legalize the recreational use of cannabis, researchers say the policy's impact has had mixed success on public health goals and justice reform since 2018.
According to a report by the , trends over the last few years have seen fewer incriminating activity related to cannabis use as well as increasing health concerns.
"Cannabis legalization in Canada appears not to have been the public health disaster anticipated by some of its opponents, but it cannot be described as a comprehensive or unequivocal success for public health either," the study authors wrote.
While the daily use of cannabis among users has remained stable since legalization, Statistic Canada reported an overall increase of cannabis use from 22 per cent to 27 per cent among Canadians aged 16 and older between 2017 and 2022. Use among Canadian youth, meanwhile, has remained at similar levels as 37 per cent of 16 to 19 year olds reported using cannabis in 2022 compared to 36 per cent in .
Since legalization, one report found emergencies related to cannabis-linked disorders and poisoning among youth in Ontario and Alberta rose to 20 per cent. A separate report analyzing unintentional cannabis poisoning from edibles among children in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec found these emergency visits increased substantially since edibles were legalized in 2019.
A total of 581 pediatric hospitalizations were reported since 2015 — 105 were reported during the first 14 months of legalization and 356 were reported during the first 19 months of the legalization of edibles.
Health Canada has previously warned cannabis users and those with children to be aware of edible products that look like ordinary candy or pastries and are packaged into colourful, sometimes familiar-looking snacks to most.
However, there have been some improvements to the frequency of Canadians purchasing illegally produced cannabis since legalization, as data has shown two-thirds of users purchase cannabis products from legal sources now.
Additionally, levels of driving impairment over cannabis use has slightly decreased or stabilized in most parts of the country, except for British Columbia, where rates of impaired drivers increased between 2018 and 2020 in comparison to 2013 and 2018.
A separate report from the also reported a drastic 97 per cent reduction in cannabis possession charges among youth between 2015 and 2019. Additionally, trafficking and sales charges among youth also decreased from 12 to eight per cent.
The study authors noted that while Canada's legalization of non-medicinal cannabis has resulted in a mixed outcome, the last five years can't summarize the policy's full impact on Canadians.
"Robust ways to integrate diverse data when evaluating policy outcomes are also needed to inform evidence-based adjustments to regulatory parameters that may be necessary to more effectively serve and achieve the declared public health objectives of cannabis legalization in Canada going forward," the authors wrote.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Kids are inhaling 'Galaxy Gas' to get high. Here’s what parents should know
For some young people, a popular method for getting a quick high is by misusing laughing gas — and lately, that’s in the form of nitrous oxide from products sold by the company Galaxy Gas.
Unusual flippered feet are making their way into the Saint Lawrence River this weekend. Led by underwater explorer and filmmaker Nathalie Lasselin, volunteer divers are combing the riverbed near Beauharnois in Montérégie to remove hundreds of tires that have been polluting the aquatic environment for decades.
Recall expands for Nutrabolics vegan bars over undeclared milk
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says a recall of Nutrabolics brand Feed Me Vegan Real Food Protein & Oats bars due to undeclared milk has been expanded.
Kamala Harris accepts CNN debate invitation for Oct. 23, challenging Trump to another showdown
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday accepted an invitation from CNN to debate former President Donald Trump on October 23, challenging her rival to another engagement on a public stage in the final weeks of the campaign.
Is the price of your morning coffee on the rise?
It is not a great time to be a coffee drinker. In general, coffee bean prices are the highest they've been in more than a decade.
Housing support for adult children with severe autism is 'absolutely absurd,' say parents
Looking after an adult with severe autism can be a full-time job. Ask any parent who has a child severely affected by autism spectrum disorder – it’s a job that can get more difficult as the child becomes an adult.
Top Hezbollah leader was among the 37 people killed in an Israeli strike on a Beirut apartment block
Israel and Hezbollah exchanged fire on Saturday as rescue crews in Beirut searched the rubble of an apartment building that was leveled by an Israeli airstrike that killed at least 37 people, including one of the militant group's senior leaders as well as women and children.
Cards Against Humanity sues Elon Musk's SpaceX over alleged trespassing in Texas
The maker of the popular party game Cards Against Humanity is accusing Elon Musk's SpaceX of trespassing on and damaging a plot of vacant land the company owns in Texas.
Local Spotlight
Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.
Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.
An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.
They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.
A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.
Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.
The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.
It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.