Seven years after the legalization of recreational marijuana, Health Canada is moving to require new warning labels on cannabis packaging, citing mounting evidence linking the drug to psychosis, schizophrenia, and brain damage — especially among people under 25.Blacklock's Reporter says a January 10 report from the department recommends reinstating stronger warnings about serious mental health risks, marking the first proposed update to cannabis health labels in five years. Previously, federal research had downplayed cannabis-related harm, even suggesting it was less risky than underage drinking.“Health Canada should reinstate health warning messages that pertain to serious cannabis-related health risks including psychosis and schizophrenia,” the report stated. Officials noted that under the Cannabis Act, health notices can be revised to reflect new findings.The 2018 legalization of marijuana through Bill C-45 ignored prior cautions from a 2014 Commons health committee report that warned of the drug’s effects on brain development, cognition, and mental health. At the time, some Liberal MPs dismissed those concerns. “If they are really so concerned about the risks of these drugs, are they saying that they’re going to make tobacco and alcohol illegal?” asked Vancouver Centre MP Dr. Hedy Fry, then the party’s health critic.Earlier Health Canada focus groups revealed that many Canadians viewed cannabis as less harmful than alcohol and no longer a drug associated with heavy users.The new proposed labels are explicit. “Cannabis can cause psychotic symptoms like severe paranoia and hallucinations that can lead to long term mental health problems,” reads one. “The risks are greatest in those younger than 25.”Other warnings include: “Cannabis can worsen your attention, concentration and memory especially when using higher strength tetrahydrocannabinol products every day”; “the higher the tetrahydrocannabinol content the more likely you are to experience harms to your mental health”; and “using cannabis before age 25 increases your risk of mental disorders like psychosis and schizophrenia especially when using higher strength THC products every day.”Despite the report’s recommendations, there is no timeline for when new warnings will appear on packaging. The final decision will require cabinet approval.
