Funding outcome

In October 2018 adult cannabis use will become legal across Canada. Cannabis will be in a similar position to alcohol and tobacco, which adults can use at home and in designated public spaces. Unlike alcohol and tobacco, where families already have information on how to protect children, there is very little research-guided information to help families decide how to keep their children safe while they legally use cannabis. Children have different health needs than adults. They breathe faster and explore with their hands and mouths, so they take in more chemicals from the environment. Their bodies are small, so they absorb more for their body weight. Because they are growing and developing, there is a risk of permanently changing their health, and because they live longer they have more time to develop exposure-related diseases like cancer. We know that cigarette smoke exposes children to tobacco, but not what happens to children around cannabis smoke. Some people who used cannabis in their teens have permanent changes, decreasing concentration and increasing the risk of diseases like schizophrenia. What we don't know is how much cannabis exposure children have when their families use it, or whether that level of exposure will have any short or longer term effects on them. Families need information in order to make informed choices. The goal of this study is to learn more about how much cannabis children's bodies take up when it is smoked around them. This study will provide valuable information to help parents make informed decisions for their children, as well as setting the stage for future work looking at long-term impacts of cannabis exposure on children.