Do young people fall for cannabis once it's legalized?

Proponents of prohibition in every country often use this argument: «Think of the youth, if we legalize, it will be easier for young people to take drugs.»

According to American experts, we don't yet have the necessary hindsight to assess the phenomenon. Ryan Vandrey, a pharmacologist at the John Hopkins School of Medicine, says: «We have only two years of legalization in two states, It's not long enough to measure an evolution and, above all, the extent of the change, if any.» What's more, studies in Colorado contradict each other, leading to a statistical dispute between pro- and anti-legalization.

Read more: What arguments are generally put forward against legalizing cannabis in France?

We had already reported an increase in consumption among young people in Colorado. For 12/17 year-olds, the rate of consumption rose from 10.5 to 12.6 % since legalization. Nationally, the rate is 7.2 %. Opponents are also concerned about space-foods flooding the legal markets.

In France, the debate is much lower, due to a lack of diversified scientific studies and bans since 1970. The only statistics we have are from surveys or government agencies. Politicians speak of the scourge ravaging our society, while most scientists stress the neurological effects of excessive consumption. It's as if all the parents of cannabis smokers are sinking into the torment of an unmanageable, psychorigid and lonely kid. A the image of the Académie des pharmaciens or Bernard Debré, The guests who rule the public debate are often in their sixties. They forget the economic and medical aspects of cannabis.

Pro-legalization advocates, both American and European, point out that cannabis is readily available to young people, whether legalized or not. 47.8 % high school students in France have touched it at least once during their school career, while 35,7% high school students Americans did so over the course of a school year. 54 % of them say they can get their hands on it easily. The most valid argument seems to be the commercial aspect of a legal market. In Amsterdam and in American dispensaries, the ban on sales to minors, which carries a penalty of fines and license withdrawal, seems effective. The street dealer, under-age or over-age, couldn't care less.

Théo Caillart