Healthy Schools

Kids Health in the Classroom

The law sets a minimum age of 19 to use, buy, possess and cultivate cannabis in Ontario. This is the same as the minimum age for tobacco and alcohol sales.

Youth and young adults (up to 25 years of age) are considered a high-risk group when it comes to cannabis use. Cannabis use can cause unpleasant, unwanted, or negative effects on mental and physical health, with both short and or long-term use.

In Ontario cannabis is legal for those over the age of 19, but is illegal for anyone under that age. This means that under-age users will turn to the black market, or “street” products. These products are not regulated or checked by anyone, and can contain substances other than cannabis. In many cases, street cannabis has been found to include many other drugs such as cocaine and fentanyl, which can put them at high risk of overdose.

One of the main reasons youth and teens will use a substance is peer pressure. It’s important to know that peer pressure can be in different forms. In some cases, it may result from their peers directly telling them they “should” use cannabis, or “must” use cannabis to fit in.

Prior to the legalization of cannabis, the bi-annual Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey reported that 19% of students in grades 7 to 12 had used cannabis in the past year (2018). The rates between males and females is similar (19.6% and 18.3%, respectively).

Research has found that tooth decay, such as cavities, and gum disease can be a cause of other serious health problems. In the case of an oral infection, bacteria can travel through the blood stream or airways to other parts of the body. Health conditions such as heart disease and stroke are linked to oral health problems.

Taking care of the teeth and mouth on a daily basis is the first step which can be done at home.

Oral heath is a key part of a child’s overall health and well-being. Students with dental pain or dental disease may have problems eating, issues with speech development, and low self-esteem.

Cavities are the most common chronic childhood disease in Canada, with more than 50% of children between the ages of 6 to 11 having had a cavity. Cavities are also increasing in toddlers between the ages of 2 to 4 years.