AGE CURBS MAKE MARIJUANA EASIER TO BUY THAN CIGARETTES

Teens Say Smoking Is More Of A Health Risk

OTTAWA -- Marijuana is perceived as easier to access than cigarettes
on Canadian school grounds, a Health Canada report on teenagers shows.

The easier access to pot is due to the legal age limit for smoking
cigarettes and the fact that you have to buy cigarettes through
outlets, such as corner stores.

The report also states that marijuana is perceived among teens to be
less harmful than cigarettes because of the effective messages on the
health effects of cigarettes and second-hand smoke.

Teens "generally felt that the only exposure they had received on
issues dealing with marijuana were on legalization or the use of
marijuana for medicinal purposes," said the report.

It said the teens had a genuine sense that those who were marijuana
smokers do not know the adverse effects of the substance "aside from
killing brain cells or making users lazy" and do not understand the
health reasons why they should stop smoking it.

The report is being released as the federal government promises to
move on legislation before the House of Commons that will
decriminalize marijuana.

A poll released in November last year found Canadians are smoking
marijuana more than ever before and that almost 30 per cent of 15- to
17-year-olds and 47 per cent of 18- and 19-year-olds had used
marijuana in the past year.