Cannabis, commonly known as marijuana, is now legal in Canada, with cannabis edibles legalized as of October 17, 2019. Cannabis can come with significant risks to your physical, mental, and social well-being. If you choose to use, do so responsibly.
Know the risks of cannabis use:
• problems with thinking, memory, or physical coordination
• impacted brain development in youth (ages 25 and under)
• impaired perceptions or hallucinations
• fatal and non-fatal injuries, including those from motor-vehicle accidents, due to impairment
• mental health problems such as anxiety and psychosis
• cannabis addiction
• chronic respiratory or lung problems
• reproductive problems
• international travel and/or legal implications
• poor academic performance
Reduce health risks related to cannabis use:
1. Cannabis use has health risks best avoided by abstaining
2. Delay taking up cannabis use until later in life
3. Identify and choose lower-risk cannabis products
4. Don’t use synthetic cannabinoids
5. Avoid smoking burnt cannabis – choose safer ways of using
6. If you smoke cannabis, avoid harmful smoking practices
7. Limit and reduce how often you use cannabis
8. Don’t use and drive, or operate other machinery
9. Avoid cannabis use altogether if you are at risk for mental health problems or are pregnant
10. Avoid combining these risks
Get more information:
• Canada’s Canada's Lower-Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines (LRCUG)
• Cannabis in Canada: Get the Facts canada.ca/cannabis
• Cannabis Legalization in Ontario ontario.ca/cannabis
Need to speak to someone? Help is always available.
• Health & Counselling Centre 905-828-5255 utm.utoronto.ca/health
• Good2Talk Post-Secondary Student Helpline 1-866-925-5454
• Access CAMH 416 535-8501, option 2 • camh.ca
• Peel Addiction Assessment & Referral Centre (PAARC) (905) 629-1007
Adapted from: Fischer, B., Russell, C., Sabioni, P., van den Brink, W., Le Foll, B., Hall, W., Rehm, J. & Room, R. (2017). Lower-Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines (LRCUG): An evidence-based update. American Journal of Public Health, 107 (8). DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2017.303818.