The reaction of Sault Ste. Marie Police Service Chief Robert Keetch to the federal government’s plan to legalize marijuana could be summed up in one word.
Concern.
The Trudeau government introduced its plan Thursday, just before the Easter Weekend, to regulate recreational use, sale and growing of marijuana and new laws against impaired driving related to marijuana use.
The legislation, which the government hopes to pass by July 1, 2018, allows people to possess up to 30 grams of cannabis and sets the minimum age of use at 18.
“(People smoking marijuana at) 18 is concerning for me,” Keetch told SooToday.
“There are issues with regard to the development of the brain in youth and the effect marijuana has on that development,” Keetch said.
The chief said he raised that concern with Bill Blair, former Toronto Police Service chief and now Parliamentary Secretary to Jody Wilson-Raybould, Minister of Justice, when he visited the Sault in February.
Blair toured Canada to listen to the public and meet with stakeholders on the subject of cannabis legalization.
“One thing that concerns me is when you legalize or regulate something, in the eyes of youth, it legitimizes that activity,” Keetch said, stating it’s been tough enough for society to battle youth alcohol consumption.
Keetch recalled discussion of the marijuana issue he heard at a recent International Association of Chiefs of Police meeting.
Keetch said it was suggested by attendees that youth crime went up in jurisdictions where marijuana has been legalized, though he agreed a clear connection between the two is yet to be determined.
Keetch also said at that same meeting, two doctors spoke impartially on the topic of pot, but said “one of the things that became very apparent from their discussions is the lack of medical research that has gone into the effects of marijuana on the brain.”
“Typically, for any drug in North America, if you’re going to introduce a drug, then you do clinical trials and testing and that has not been done for marijuana so that’s concerning for me as well,” Keetch said.
“The fact they’re going to legalize a drug and make it accessible and regulate it and make it accessible in our community without a full comprehension of the impact it has on an individual’s health and mental health is concerning.”
The Sault Ste. Marie Police Service has poured a great deal of professional time into handling an increase in mental health-related calls for service through its Mobile Crisis Intervention Unit.
Keetch feels possible increased marijuana use could lead to worsened mental health, especially among youth.
Then there’s the issue of smoking pot and impaired driving.
The legislation makes it illegal to drive within two hours after consuming an illegal level of drugs in the blood, with penalties ranging from a $1,000 fine to life imprisonment, depending on the level of drugs in the blood and whether a person is injured or killed as a result of the impairment.
Keetch said the number of impaired driving incidents involving marijuana may go up, leading to tragic developments, and increased calls for service for police officers and divert them away from other calls.
Under the legislation, individuals will also be able to grow up to four plants at home or buy from a licensed retailer.
“That becomes a very difficult issue to regulate, so we’re concerned in relation to that as well,” Keetch said.
The Trudeau government has said all along it does not wish to encourage marijuana use, stating its goal in legalization of marijuana is designed to actually restrict access to the substance by minors and cut off profits made by organized crime.
But Keetch isn’t completely sold on that.
“From a personal perspective, I debate whether they’ll truly be able to get organized crime out of marijuana.”
Keetch, however, said “one thing I liked about the legislation is there are strong penalties for knowingly providing marijuana to youth (up to 14 years in prison for giving or selling marijuana to minors).”
“There are a lot of unknowns…the reality is we don’t enact laws, that’s the role of parliament. We have the responsibility of enforcing the law,” Keetch said.
