Addressing the challenges to public safety in light of plans to legalize recreational marijuana in Canada will be among the topics addressed at this year's Festival of Health at the University of Alberta on May 26.
As Canada moves towards the legalization of marijuana this summer, legislators and public health advocates are wrestling with the implications to health and safety. The pending legislation represents a major shift in policy, opening new opportunities and new risks that will need to be addressed.
"This is likely the biggest drug policy reform we will see in our lifetimes," said University of Alberta clinical professor of psychiatry Charl Els. "It's huge, so inevitably there will be uncertainty."
As an addictions specialist at the U of A, Els is hoping to guide public discussion and policy when it comes to the use of recreational marijuana. He argues there are crucial issues that need to be resolved soon, such as how to prevent impairment behind the wheel and at work. While Alberta's cannabis plan does ban pot in vehicles, it has yet to come up with clear regulations for consumption in the workplace, and especially for those in safety-sensitive jobs.
As of yet there is also no accurate test to determine precise levels of THC impairment, said Els. The drug can affect people differently depending on tolerance, and because the cannabinoid remains in the body long after consumption, some will feel its effects long after.
"THC gets absorbed into the fat stores, and it can be released over several hours. So individuals can be impaired even hours after they've smoked marijuana and even while they are withdrawing."
Among his recommendations, Els believes the public needs low-risk guidelines for cannabis use, similar to those recommended for alcohol. "We don't know where the threshold is for where harm starts."
Els will discuss the impending legislation and steps that still need to be taken to ensure safety in the workplace at the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry's Festival of Health on Saturday, May 26.
Learn more about this topic at the Festival of Health
Register here for your free ticket
Edmonton Clinic Health Academy 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
North Campus, University of Alberta
Barbecue and Entertainment
11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Rapid Fire Presentations and Ask The Experts: Q & A Session
1 - 2:30 p.m.
Info Sessions and Tours
3 - 5 p.m.
More information available at uab.ca/healthfest.