What is Public Health’s role?
Public Health’s role as it relates to cannabis is multi-faceted, focusing on prevention and education, harm reduction, regulation, research, surveillance, and equitable access to care and support services with the goal of reducing the burden of illness and promoting the well-being of individuals and communities. Public health is pivotal in addressing the social determinants of health that contribute to disparities in substance use and related health outcomes.
Key aspects of Public Health’s role related to cannabis include:
- Addressing risk and protective factors for cannabis use.
- Educating the public, including youth, about potential harms associated with cannabis use.
- Promoting low risk guidelines.
- Working alongside government bodies to develop regulations and healthy public policies (i.e. labelling, packaging, advertising).
- Ensuring policies and programs related to cannabis promote equity.
- Monitoring trends to inform policy, programs and services.
- Collaborating with local stakeholders across sectors to ensure comprehensive and equitable access to care and support services.
This item was last modified on September 10, 2024