Residents were warned by the Minister of Justice yesterday not to use cannabis near children because of its potential impact on their mental health.

Kim Wilkerson, who also serves as the Attorney-General, told the Senate that although the possession of less than seven grams of cannabis was decriminalised, public use of the drug remained illegal.

She added that while the Government was looking to reform cannabis legislation and create a framework for the import, sale and use of cannabis products, “the future is not the present” and young people were being exposed to cannabis too often.

“Alongside these upcoming legislative changes, there must and will be public health considerations taken into account, especially when it comes to our young people,” she said.

Ms Wilkerson said that many families on the island had reported symptoms of psychosis in young people who used cannabis, with reports becoming more frequent as cannabis strains had become more potent.

She told senators that in 2006 the Government cracked down on the smoking of cigarettes in public places because of the impact of second-hand smoke.

“While children can, of course, experience detrimental psychological effects from exposure to an intoxicated adult who has drunk too much, they do not consume the alcohol itself second-hand,” Ms Wilkerson said.

“This is not so with cannabis.

“Adult users who have become accustomed to smoking cannabis indoors with children present may not even realise they are exposing these children to a contact high that is detrimental to their minds.

“Behavioural issues that seem to appear out of nowhere can be traced to this exposure.

“The Government continues to support a path to safe adult recreational use of cannabis.

“However, even as we move forward in this direction, we need to be mindful of exposing young people to cannabis both through second-hand smoke and through normalising the use of it at a young age.”

Ms Wilkerson noted that the 2023 National School Survey reported that 28.5 per cent of S4 students had used marijuana and there was a misconception among many young people that recreational cannabis use was legal.

She urged people who do use cannabis not to do so around children to prevent exposure and the potential psychiatric ramifications.

“We must balance moving forward with a society that allows adults to make their own decisions on recreational cannabis use, with understanding the legal position as it stands today and, in particular, protecting our young people from the effects of a drug that can cause irreversible harm,” the minister said.

“I do not stand here today in judgment but merely to encourage the adult members of our community to be aware of and respect the legal position and more importantly to recognise that they set the example for the young people in their lives.

“So let us all be good examples.”

In response to a question by independent senator John Wight, who stated his opposition to the previously tabled cannabis legislation, Ms Wilkerson said she could not provide details about ongoing work to craft a new legal framework for cannabis.

She told the Senate that her ministry was collaborating with the Ministry of National Security on the project but the need to protect children was a guiding factor in the process.

“I felt that it was important that an adult stand up and say ‘this is not good for young people’ and I think that hasn’t been in the public discourse,” she said.

Ms Wilkerson added that despite the decriminalisation of possessing less than 7g of cannabis, the importation of any amount of cannabis without a licence remained illegal.

“There is no basis upon which an individual can import cannabis of any kind that would be legal,” she said. “There have been no moves around relaxation, legalisation or decriminalisation of importation.

“At the moment, any importation, even with respect to medical cannabis, has to be done pursuant to a licence.”