Kirst Maritt, Kolar Kat, Chaiton Michael, Schwartz Robert, Emerson Brian, Hyshka Elaine, Jesseman Rebecca, Lucas Philippe, Solomon Robert, Thomas Gerald
University of Toronto.
Can J Public Health. 2016 Mar 16;106(8):e474-6. doi: 10.17269/cjph.106.5206.
Support for a public health approach to cannabis policy as an alternative to prohibition and criminalization is gaining momentum. Recent drug policy changes in the United States suggest growing political feasibility for legal regulation of cannabis in other North American jurisdictions. This commentary discusses the outcomes of an interdisciplinary policy meeting with Canadian experts and knowledge users in the area of substance use interventions. The meeting explored possibilities for applying cross-substance learning on policy interventions for alcohol, tobacco and cannabis, towards the goal of advancing a public health framework for reducing harms associated with substance use in Canada. The meeting also explored how the shift in approach to cannabis policy can provide an opportunity to explore potential changes in substance use policy more generally, especially in relation to tobacco and alcohol as legally regulated substances associated with a heavy burden of illness. Drawing from the contributions and debates arising from the policy meeting, this commentary identifies underlying principles and opportunities for learning from policy interventions across tobacco, alcohol and cannabis, as well as research gaps that need to be addressed before a public health framework can be effectively pursued across these substances.
支持将公共卫生方法作为大麻政策的替代方案以取代禁令和刑事定罪的呼声日益高涨。美国近期的毒品政策变化表明，在北美其他司法管辖区对大麻进行合法监管在政治上的可行性越来越高。本评论讨论了与加拿大物质使用干预领域的专家和知识使用者举行的跨学科政策会议的成果。该会议探讨了将跨物质学习应用于酒精、烟草和大麻政策干预的可能性，以推进加拿大减少与物质使用相关危害的公共卫生框架为目标。会议还探讨了大麻政策方法的转变如何能够提供一个契机，更广泛地探索物质使用政策的潜在变化，特别是与负担沉重疾病相关的合法监管物质烟草和酒精方面的变化。借鉴政策会议产生的意见和辩论，本评论确定了从烟草、酒精和大麻的政策干预中学习的基本原则和机会，以及在能够有效推行这些物质的公共卫生框架之前需要解决的研究差距。
