The federal government is set to announce the legalization of Marijuana. Legislation will be announced next month, and become effective July 1, 2018. According to the CBC, Toronto area Liberal MP Bill Blair briefed his colleagues during last weekend’s caucus meeting.
Provinces will be allowed to control the sales including how it will be sold as well as setting the price. The federal government will be in charge of licensing producers. They have set an age limit of 18 years of age; the provinces will have the right to set a higher age if they wish.
There will be a limit of four plants/household. This was an election promise for the federal Liberals. Their platform insisted it was necessary to legalize the drug in order to keep it “out of the hands of children and the profits out of the hands of criminals.” Some believe the promise was what prompted many youth to vote for the party.
NDP Leadership candidates see the legislation as a broken promise. “I do not believe Justin Trudeau is going to bring in the legalization of marijuana and as proof that…we are still seeing, particularly young, Canadians being criminalized by simple possession of marijuana,” B.C MP Peter Julian said at a recent debate.
There have been raids of marijuana dispensaries in Toronto, Vancouver. The provinces have expressed concerns over enforcement. Saskatchewan wants Ottawa will bear the costs associated with increased enforcement. Manitoba has chosen a proactive approach. They’ve introduced legislation focusing on drug-impaired driving. “There’s a lot of unknown about how society is going to react to this,” Abucus Data CEO David Coletto told Macleans. Canada will be the only G7 country to legalize marijuana.
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