Parents, teachers, public health practitioners and many others with important relationships with youth often struggle with how to have meaningful conversations about cannabis. They too are searching for credible sources of information. This report, Substance Abuse in Canada: The Effects of Cannabis Use during Adolescence, fills an important void; it summarizes the current scientific evidence related to cannabis use. The reader will receive a thorough assessment of the state of the science. What emerges is a picture of the heightened risks experienced by particular young people — including those who are very young, who smoke cannabis frequently, or who have a family history of serious mental illness. In many ways, our understanding of the effects of cannabis use is not as complete as we would like. Despite decades of research and thousands of years of use, there are many unanswered questions related to the consequences of cannabis use. We must answer these questions and we must determine the best ways to prevent or minimize the associated risks for people who choose to use the substance and for society as a whole.

Electronic reproduction. At head of cover title: Substance abuse in Canada.

Foreword by Rita Notarandrea -- Foreword by Joy Johnson -- Introduction / Joanna Henderson -- 1. What Are the Brain and Behavioural Effects of Cannabis Use in Youth? / Andra Smith -- 2. Is There a Link Between Cannabis and Mental Illness? / Michelle Goodman and Tony George -- 3. Is Cannabis Addictive? / Bernard Le Foll -- 4. What Interventions Are Available for Cannabis Use Disorders? / Aimee McRae-Clark and Kevin Gray -- 5.Cannabis and Youth — A Summary of Key Findings and Major Questions, and a Call to Action / Harold Kalant.